War Never Ends
by Kirbilius Clausius
Summary: The General of the Minutemen has united the Commonwealth from Far Harbor to Nuka World, from Acadia to the Institute, from Vault 81 to Bunker Hill. Can the Lone Wanderer save the Capital Wastes from caving to her rule? Or has she finally found a threat bigger than even the stories told about her? Continuation of the same story, change of summary due to change of protagonist.
1. Build Up - 1

She walked into the conference room. It was the home of the Institute Directorate: the most feared if not to-be-feared, the most secretive or at least to outsiders faction of anything in the whole of the Commonwealth. When you could find a survivor of the nuclear apocalypse, asking them of the dangers that surrounded them would give an answer that constantly surprised her all too twenty first century mind. The lack of clean water, or non-irradiated plants and dangerously mutated creatures as a food supply didn't seem to faze them until they were in truly dire straits. Insane, ageless once human ghouls attacking relentlessly and reminding them that even their own narrowly held humanity was a toll that could be paid were viewed as a nuisance. Rogue, super-weaponized, green golems of tribal society and neanderthal intellect were viewed as a mere 'problem'. And most upsetting to her, humankind's brutality to humankind was taken in stride. But a single whisper of the Institute and neighbor would fall upon neighbor, brother would murder brother, and communities would be ripped apart rendering the wasteland truly that...a land filled with waste.

This was unacceptable.

Her own son empowered her with the reins of this organization. And with the hope behind the motto "Mankind Redefined.". She would make good on that, and do her level best to bring this world back in line with the one she didn't leave...only aged beyond.

A colonial figure glided across the room. The impression was nearly of George Washington coming to the Continental Congress to correct begrudging politicians and fire brand idealists to a course of action. And that image was quickly broken with a series of cracks. Her not quite slender frame wasn't the tall commanding presence one would expect. Her perpetual WRAPAROUND GOGGLES laid more suspicion than commanded respect. The polymer combat armor the blue long coat of the MINUTEMAN GENERAL'S UNIFORM brought the whole look screaming into the future. And when she sat in the Director's chair and laid her MINUTEMAN GENERAL'S HAT by her side, her DEEP RED hair certainly didn't allow her to pass for the ancient founder of the country that was. That she was perhaps the last citizen of...even if she didn't remember voting for or against this 'President Eden' she had heard of.

"Do you believe that...fashion...appropriate to this meeting of _the Institute's_ directorate?", Dr. Ayo charged.

She switched to her BLACK RIMMED GLASSES and considered her response. Sitting at the rest of the conference table was the entirety of the Institute's head of departments. Together they advised the Director in the best way to achieve Institute policies preferred outcomes. Dr. Ayo, decked in his black decorated uniform probably considered himself the most dangerous as head of the Synth Retention Bureau, charged with the recapture of designed to be better than human in all but rights and soul machines. But considering his competition was the man charged with designing those Synths, Dr. Holdren of Robotics; the Bioscience leader Dr. Holdren; Madison Li, a veteran of Project Purity and the Brotherhood of Steel who kept the leash of the widely inventive Advanced Systems; and the person who's duties kept the entire Institute running as efficiently as the DNA architected central column symbolized, Allie Filmore...Dr. Ayo wasn't the most dangerous person in the room.

And the new Director was hoping she would not be forced to prove that she was. For the sake of the Commonwealth.

"Actually Dr. Ayo, I'm making a statement by wearing this.", she started.

"There are some of you who still harbor some resentment on my being Director. Some of this is based on my being new to your ranks, and there's nothing I can do about that. Some of it is not being a scientist. Allow me to address that.

"I am a classically trained lawyer, with some years of experience. While it is true that I hadn't dedicated the entirety of my life to the pursuit, I had entered college with that intent after the tour of duty where I met Shaun's father. I may be the only pre-war, post college, licensed attorney any of will ever meet in our lives. Considering my military experience and the results that has given and my formal education being the equivalent in my field of government as you are in yours/"

Dr. Li interrupted, "Then you are absolutely the right choice to lead the Institute."

She turned to Madison. "If that being the case, I expect that my following proposal will be enacted with enthusiasm.

"The Institute is hereby surrendering to the Minutemen."

A roaring clamor came over the table.

Until her singular voice came through, "Listening to this proposal...

"The Institute holds itself to be humanity's best hope for the future. So far that has resulted in assassinations up to an including destroying the last best attempt at a unified government, unleashing a mercenary on the unsuspecting, and countless other Institute assets being put at risk or simply sacrificed. This incompetency ends now.

"Particularly when there is another organization that is better integrated into the fabric of the Commonwealth."

Dr. Holdren raised his hand. "Director, couldn't we garner the same result with the Minutemen surrendering to us instead?"

"No.", was the resounding and quick reply. "The Minutemen has some things that the Institute will need to work for decades if not a century to garner: trust and respect. The Commonwealth at large knows that the Minutemen are here to help, no matter what. That's why ordinary people turn to them.

"For us to be able to aid the Commonwealth and shape its future openly, we will have to do so under a veneer that is able to do so. When the Minutemen offer aid, it is paid forward. If an agent of the Institute were to approach anyone at this point, it would turn into a case of shoot first and level resistance with a cadre of Gen 2 Synths in response. That is a bridge that leads to no where."

"Furthermore, I do not want to disrupt the Institute's practices or compromise its security. By having the Commonwealth under the auspices of the Minutemen, I can use its manpower and resources to do what the Institute cannot. Act en masse. By maintaining the Institute's current functionality, I can have all of our members do what you do best. Be scientists and engineers, and do the bold work of science that can't be done by anyone else.

"In addition, the Institute has a unique reputation as the boogeyman of the Commonwealth. With the Minutemen being viewed as having brought the Institute to heel, it will be seen as empowered while the reverse would make that reputation even more diabolical. With the Institute, ahem, 'serving' the Minutemen, the structure overseeing the Commonwealth becomes one that has a dangerous leviathan backing its proclamations."

"What results to you expect from this move, and how will it benefit the Institute?", Dr. Filmore inquired.

"Absolute, best case scenario: on the order of a generation, the Commonwealth population will be a healthier, better educated and more secure one than ever before. Talent will stop being lost to easily surmounted obstacles. Technology and the human culture it drives will continue to advance. And maybe, just maybe, the Institute will actually achieve its stated dream of a bright future for all mankind.", the Director sold.

Until she followed that with "Absolute, worst case scenario. My machinations crash and burn, turning the Commonwealth into a never ending, intractable civil strife haunted by radiation powered monsters at all angles from which the withdrawn Institute returns to operating as a clandestine cabal of mad scientists spoken of in hushed whispers away from the shadows.

"Or basically, how it is now."

Hodren again interjected. "Do you expect all future Generals of the Minutemen and Directors of the Institute to be the same person?"

Here she paused, whether for drama or thought the scientists couldn't tell. "I would like to think not. Nearly certainly the very next General, and perhaps we should spend resources training Wallace as an understudy in case of my assassination as he's the only member here besides myself that has any real experience dealing with the Minutemen in a manner befitting them. Maybe educating one of the twins toward that end. But with a careful regard for the autonomy of the Institute and the value of its segregation versus the amount of effort to break that...hopefully not more.

"Any other questions of immediate concern with the premise rather than details that have yet to be sorted?"

"Yes.", Dr. Ayo asserted. "Let's say this goes well enough for the Minutemen to actually secure the Commonwealth in a manner you envision. What happens to the Synth Retention Bureau?"

She leveled her gaze to him. "Eventually...it's disbanded."

The bald man nodded. "Well, then. Let's put it to a vote. Will someone second? I'm actually in a hurry to vote yes."

The rest of the table regarded him anew. He shrugged. "If Alan did his job perfectly rather than 'merely' inspringly, this department would not exist to be stuck in in the first place and I could go back to actual research. Of course, I'm pro-letting the Minutemen hold responsibility."

Dr. Filmore gave an expression of incredulity. "I second."

The Director nodded. "Is everyone on board? And I do mean everyone. I am going to be issuing demands upon all of you that at times may be hard to swallow. Receding tactical advantages, investments on behalf of non-Institute entitities, and the like."

"Yay, aye or whatever we're using for the affirmative under the new leadership.", Dr. Ayo stated.

"Yes.", Alan Binet voted. "We're already secure on the reactor and we needed that in order to do exactly something like this."

Madison nodded. "It'll be interesting to solve a social problem for once. Advanced Systems votes in the affirmative."

"Then I'll have to make sure you don't all kill yourselves.", Dr. Filmore added. "You have a yes vote from Facilities, Director."

"Fine.", Holdren conceded. "Let's get this show on the road. It's not like she's going to lead us in an old way we're familiar with."

The table turned to him. "What?"

The General put her WRAPAROUND GOGGLES and MINUTEMEN GENERAL'S HAT back on. "Then continue on with your current projects. Except for Wallace and Advanced Systems, considering one of your scientist's hobbies. Oh - and I need Bio-science to analyze something for me."


	2. Build Up - 2

1

The Castle...well, Fort Independence... You know what, screw that.

The Castle was finally repaired. The only way in was the double gate to the main road leading up to the castle, and a wharf fashioned from the previously collapsed wall leading to the sea. Both could be slammed shut in a hot second. Theoretically, the Castle could be laid to siege. But considering the Commonwealth's population's propensity for self-reliance and self-preservation gave the Castle a water and farmable food supply, any group that wasn't backed by air or teleporting military might was going to break its teeth on the attempt. Adding in the sheer amount of windmills feeding laser batteries and other automated defense turrets, probably literally.

And so far, so good. They hadn't opened fire on her yet. Hopefully, it was more than just keeping the general's coat hole free.

She walked through the gates and the conversational tone got a bit more quiet. Not the host of Freedom Radio mind you. But it was noticable.

So she called out. "The Institute has finally surrendered to the Minutemen! Where's the celebration?"

Every conversation stopped.

The General turned to the nearest woman. "Soldier, where is Shaw?" The woman pointed toward the armory. "Thank you."

2

Upon arriving, she found Ronnie and Preston talking. They immediately silenced when the spotted her. She threw a quick salute as a test. Nearly by reflex, both veterans returned it.

"Have you heard about the Institute's surrender to us yet?", she asked.

Both Preston and Shaw visibly relaxed. "So that was your voice on Diamond City Radio?"

She nodded. "Come join me in my office. And do me the favor of walking there _with_ me."

As they strolled at a business but no where near combat pace, the Minutemen manning the Castle's fortifications and civilians going about various settler tasks visibly relaxed.

Maybe she could actually hold this together after all.

3

The Castle was an extremely busy place. However, the General's self declared office was the seeming sanctuary of the fortification. A grand table was the centerpiece of the room, decorated by a GLOBE and an ANTIQUE GLOBE. A cabinet held the only rations outside of the main mess down the hall, a single bottle example of a few of the various liquors found intact on her adventures and a much more heavily used COFFEE POT, HOT PLATE, and a rapidly emptying COFFEE TIN. There was only one bed and it was retained for only her use despite her travels keeping her from it often. Most of the Minutemen that even new of this exclusive bed behind a door found it highly eccentric but some bizarre allowance for command. Those that actually interacted with her found a nigh existential horror from this fact that, if asked, she would admit she was aware of: nearly everyone except romantic partners slept in their own bed behind a closed door before the Great War. Only now were communal barracks the norm for just about everyone and shelter in and of itself too often a luxury.

"Sit down.", she commanded. "This is gonna take some time."

The woman hung both her blue colonial coat and her tricorner hat on a COAT RACK and joined Ronnie Shaw and Preston Garvey at the table. After getting yet another cup of coffee she visibly relaxed on her side of the table. Even with what she had seen on her quest to reunite what was left of her family, she barely believed what she was looking at: the other two managing to somehow _sit_ at attention.

"I have a long laundry list of orders to hand out.", she began. "So let's get the questions out of the way."

Ronnie managed to jump in first with "How in tarnation did you manage to get the Institute to surrender?" just before Preston's "Institute surrendered? What does that even mean?"

"Alright, look. You know how much of what I done was expressly to get my son back from the Institute?", she reminded. As they both nodded, "It turns out that they had taken my son a lot longer ago than I had been led to believe. When I managed to infiltrate, he wasn't the baby I had lost or the boy I had tracked. He had grown into their elderly leader."

Garvey gasped. "That's how you/"

"I didn't shoot my own son, Preston!", she cut him off. "He explained the Institute's point of view. They really believed that they're the only ones advanced enough to survive the Wasteland long enough to ensure humankind continues. But they're all scientists, trying to press the edge of knowledge. That's why they use Synths for everything on the surface. He got the Institute on board with a new direction in leadership. Since I have military and legal experience and seemed to have proven myself in not only infiltrating them but my service in the Minutemen, he named me as his successor. I...I think he defrosted me, just to give me the opportunity to be the mother he thought I could be.

"However. He was pretty near the end from a condition that I don't even understand when I arrived. As soon as he named me as the Institute's leader..." she breathed in. "Shaun passed. My baby's gone. Just like the world I left."

"So here's the new deal. Of everyone that wanted to make their mark on the barren husk of what's left, the Minutemen are the only ones actually trying to save the people in the world instead of just their idealogical leaning. We're going to pull this Commonwealth together and make something of it, people. The Brotherhood just wanted to take any useful technology for themselves and didn't even want to interact with the citizens except to intimidate them into handing over things like common raiders."

Ronnie scoffed. "Well, they certainly aren't doing much in the way of anything in the Commonwealth now. Was that you? Or just the Institute?"

"Both.", the General stated. "And now that the leadership of the Institute has fallen to me, I'm having them pull back."

"But I thought you said they wanted humankind to continue?", Preston objected. "With their technology/"

He was cut off when the General raised her hand. "Preston, please. You don't know how precarious this Institute situation is. If they feel that I'm not meeting their base needs, it isn't going to result in an argument or a scuffle. They will immediately resort to responding as if they are betrayed and will stop even the slightest holding back of their ways. We'll end up needing to kill all of them. Children, some of the most brilliant **and** educated people I've met in the Commonwealth. They're not soldiers, Preston. They're mostly scared."

"So what are these base needs that have to be met to keep up this truce?", Preston replied.

"It's a surrender. I have changed their policies and I will change them more, in time.", the General countered. "But as I've said: they're scared. They're the type of people to treat tracking mud on your boot in the way we'd treat a Super Mutant dragging a settler off. I'm going to be very, very...very careful about asking any single member of the Institute to surface. And that's not just because they'll be in a containment suit and surrounded by heavily armed and armored Synths. And as for bringing in anyone, that's out of the question. I'd hate to even face the emergency that I would need to and even then it would be really loyal Minutemen only, volunteer only. Unless something went horribly wrong and we were destroying the afore mentioned children and scholars. Because no matter how much contempt for the surface they act like they have, a wave of destruction by people less educated is what seems to be driving them now."

"So what are they doing?", Preston inquired.

"The short version is what they always did. Science. Research.", the General informed. "The longer one. Trying to act like citizens of the Commonwealth for once. Mostly by pulling back. Until that phase is complete, gen 1 and gen 2 combat Synths have been reprogrammed to abide Minutemen. In most cases, this will result in the machines holstering their weapons. If a Minutemen unit is under fire they might help. Given the potential for animosity and distrust, Synth units aren't going to approach settlements or cities. Mostly, Institute assets on the surface are going to be recalled to the Institute."

"After I can show that the Institute has taken at least some action to peacefully integrate with the rest of the Commonwealth, even if that effort is less than Vault 81's, then maybe I can press them into something more. I just can't stress how very knife's edge this situation is right now."

"So the Institute's going to do a lot of nothing?", Ronnie mused. "You know, I think a lot of people are going to find that a relief in and of itself.

"But that means we're going to be picking up their slack."

"And that means real security.", the General informed. "And I don't mean what has passed for security since the Great War. Not 'retaliation after something happens'. Not 'rescue two out three kidnapped people'. I mean real 'let children run off and play and I'll see them back in time for supper' security."

"We can't do that.", Preston lamented.

"We can't do that yet.", she countered. "Who's the one telling me that we can take back the Commonwealth one farm at a time? We just need to implement some force multipliers."

"That some kind of Institute tech?", Ronnie asked.

The General shook her head. "No, no, no. It's military jargon...or at least it was, pre-war. It means that we can make everyone have more effective and multiply the effectiveness of our fighting force.

"The first is a command structure. Since I've been general, people have been really good at doing their job. But the organization is too flat. People I have only heard about me are answering directly to me even though the person they heard about me from I haven't even met. That needs to change. And changing over to the command structure I would like depends on information I don't have.

"So my first two promotions, if I can even call them that are you two. Congradulations, Colonels.

"Ronnie, you are hereby Colonel of Supplies, not just the Castle's armory. I need to know what we have: down to the last hat, MUTFRUIT, bullet, and STIM PACK. Even what's being carried by individuals in the field. Grab Anne to help you out."

Ronnie blinked. "Hargraves? She wouldn't know a musket from a Mirelurk!"

"But she does know uniforms.", she explained.

"Preston, you're Colonel of Personnel. Everyone knows you and you're the closest to knowing everyone I can think of. Cycle everyone through so Colonel Shaw's counts aren't off. We have a lot of wandering bands responding to trouble, make sure they come to the Castle to be inventoried. And use as many of those wandering bands to hold down the fort in our settlements for a while. That'll not just get the settlement defending Minutemen in for Colonel Shaw's count. It will allow both the wandering bands a taste of the defenders' duties and vice versa when the defenders hit the road to come here and back. But that only applies to actual Minutemen - not the civilians whose lives we're trying to make normal.

"I can't predict what situations will arise in the future. But a bit of cross experience will keep us from losing people in the future just because they didn't know what they were doing.

"And if you find some more recruits along the way, that'd be great. I think we're running a food and water surplus from our settlements right now. Ronnie, count that production too. And if you can pull of the miracle of a scavenge expectation, I'm not going to be exactly angry.

"Understood?"

"Yes, General.", the two both replied.

"Alright.", she sighed. "I'll see you both back here in a week. I'm taking a few men and going to make the pitch to the Colonels that might actually tell me no."


	3. Build Up - 3

1

Paladin Brandis was exactly where she had expected him to be. Or at least the recent tracks in and out of Recon Bunker Theta bolstered her hope that was the case.

"Remain here.", the General ordered the Minutemen she brought with her. "If I come out of here faster than a strong walk...maybe you should follow."

After a chorus of "Yes, ma'am."s and "Aye, General."s, she entered the bunker.

"Brandis?", she called out. "I need to talk with you. Can I talk?"

She heard a click to her right. She drew KELLOG'S PISTOL out of reflex, heavily modded though it may be, and started locking in targets. Weapon arm. Head. Backup weapon arm. Center of mass. Center of mass.

When she realized she was staring down the barrel of the laser pistol of the person she came to see, her actions immediately shifted. The woman holstered her gun under coat and raised her hands. "Sorry. You startled me."

"I thought I told you to leave me alone.", Brandis threatened.

"And I thought that was the best course of action to take.", the General agreed. "But then I found out more about the Brotherhood of Steel. And its...policies."

Brandis hadn't moved.

"Under High Elder Jeremy Maxson the fourth."

She had never seen a man harrumph so heavily. Perhaps this would work out after all.

"You were one of the people he derided weren't you. The charitable ones.", she continued.

The woman was not prepared for the rant that spilled forth. "That wet behind the ears, power mad, command grabber. His predecessor at least understood that technology could be as much use as it could be a threat. Sure, we should keep it out of the wrong hands. And just because you researched something doesn't mean you should necessarily build, let alone use, it. But there was a time where we were going to bring clean water to everyone. Not just take tech for ourselves.

"And even if you wanted to be a dictator enough to do that, it's a stupid idea. Less water means no water for someone. And if it's not going to be you, then you've made an enemy from scratch. And water means food, you goin' to go without that too? And as soon as I raised that, I knew what was going to happen. He issued the order to intimidate a farm full of civilians the same week. And when I objected...well you see what my career led to. How was I not going to end up leading a doomed scouting mission."

Brandis lowered his weapon and gestured at a crate. The General sat down slowly as he lowered himself into his chair. "So how'd you find out about Maxson anyway."

She considered her options on what to say. "A Minuteman helps. Brotherhood were pinned down by ferals and I got involved.

"Then I got was informed of how they intended to take everything from the Commonwealth that was invented after the Renassiance. And saw how he was ordering armored troops to exploit simple farmers and scaveng...scavvers. You see how the Minutemen had to protect the people trying to survive in the world that remains."

"Ha!", the old man guffawed. "Best of luck to you with that. Even when I was interested, there weren't many Minutemen left. Not after Quincy. Frankly, I'm surprised there's any of you left."

"Acturally, we're protecting about a score or so of settlements, reclaimed from the Commonwealth.", the General offered. "Including the Castle."

The old man scoffed. Then he leaned forward and looked her dead in the eye. "Your outfit took back the Castle. After Quincy. Is that what you're telling me?"

She nodded. "Look, I don't expect you to believe me...at least right away. But yes, the Minutemen have recovered since the Massacre. Our flags are flying all over the Commonwealth.

"And I've forced the surrender of the Institute."

And here's where her fingers twitched. Straight to the gun of the man that took her child.

"And repelled the Brotherhood."

Brandis kept staring. She didn't want to blink. This was it. The make or break moment. Here was where she either got another colonel for her forces, and a badly needed one at that. Or she had to put and old man to rest.

"Bull/", he cried out, throwing his hands into the air.

"I am telling you that it's all true.", she stated.

"The Minutemen weren't more than a rag tag bunch of soon-to-be raiders rumbling among themselves.", he countered.

"And Wire's group has been _very_ forcibly disbanded.", she assured.

"You were down to what? 40, 30?"

"Preston. Preston Garvey.", she claimed.

"One man?" Brandis was aghast. "Well, he must make a hell of a general."

"He's a hell of a man.", the woman agreed. "But he conceded the position. I mean, his desire to maintain the ideal of the Minutemen, to help everyone live in the Commonwealth...no question. He's got more than just determination or bravery...faith, maybe. A dream of before the Great War. But he gave up the position as soon as he told me that there was one."

"Wait a minute. So that means..." the man mused.

"Yep. Me.", the General informed.

"Heh. Heh. Heh, hehe...AHAHA!", Brandis laughed. "I knew you must have been one tough cookie when you brought my men back to me, in spirit at least. But reforming the Minutemen? Into something that isn't just the name on a sign? I haven't even heard of a girl that hard since the locals were tellin' me tall tales of ole Ronnie Shaw."

The woman shrugged uncomfortably. "Shaw's one of my colonels now."

Brandis slapped his knee and started laughing again. "I don't believe it. No. I do not believe it."

"What if I can prove it to you?", she asked.

He gave her one of those deep stares again. "Come again?"

"What if I can prove it to you?", she repeated.

"That the big, bad, scary, Institute answers to a reconstituted Minutemen that kicked the fascist Maxson off their turf?", he clarified.

The woman had her eyes hidden by WRAPAROUND GOGGLES and still looked awkward. "I would like to think of it as living up to the Minutemen's ideal of helping wherever we're needed at a moments notice."

"You already took everything you wanted that I have here.", Brandis reminded.

She shook her head. "Not everything. Come."

2

"Alright, so she's got some Minutemen.", Brandis conceded. The man transferred his gaze from one soldier to the next. Mentally, he was criticizing the bunch putting the rag back in ragtag militia. He was waiting for this so-called General to come back after she wandered off.

And she must have known wandering off was dangerous. She brought her crew along. He even heard what sounded like a thunderclap after a moment of her being out of sight.

But then she came back around the corner. And following her was an armed and armored Synth.

The Minutemen aimed their cobbled together laser muskets at the robot walking under foam molding of a manaquin. Maybe they made up in hustle what they lacked in supplies. Brandis had seen it before. For its part, the Synth revealed a bull pup and pristinely manufactured laser rifle. But it seemed something wouldn't let it make the the decision to level it at any of the people who were more than intending to shoot it.

"Stand down!", the General shouted. "Everyone, and that includes you" -she pointed at the Synth-"holster your weapons and at least act like you aren't going to kill each other."

"Why certainly." the Synth stated in an obviously artificial and generated voice. The Minutemen kept aiming their weapons at it as it blankly lowered its rifle. The General turned to her Minutemen and while no one seemed to be happy about lowering their rifle, no one looked like they wanted to disappoint her with disobedience.

"Sorry.", she apologized to Brandis. "The surrender is...let's say 'new'. 'Unexpected' might work as well.

"Now, Synth. Who do you perform tasks for?"

"This unit is under direct control of policies set forth by the Institute. Any human Institute member or courser designated Synth can instruct this unit with new instructions to be taken rather than standing orders.", it spit out emotionlessly.

"And what runs the Institute?", she continued.

The Synth scanned the Minutemen and on obvious Brotherhood of Steel member. "Ma'am?", it asked, unable to state the internal workings of the Institute in front of outsiders without explicit clarification.

"This is taking to long.", the General huffed.

"Who is General of the Minutemen?", she asked.

"You are, ma'am.", the Synth replied. "But you ought to remember that. Have you injured your head recently and require medic/"

"Quiet. Reply to my next question truthfully.", the woman continued. "Who does the Institute work for?"

The Synth still showed no emotion. If it could on its carved face. "You decide Institute policy."

"Thank you. Please shoot yourself to the point of non-functionality. Safely for the humans standing near you."

"Yes, ma'am.", it stated. Then it turned its laser to its neck and incinerated its head without flinching.

Brandis' jaw dropped along with the Minutemen. He turned to the nearest one. "So...the Castle?"

"The General reclaimed it nearly single handedly."

Brandis turned to another. "And so the Minutemen respond out of there?"

The soldier shrugged. "I wouldn't say that. I mean, we have headquarters there. But I haven't really gotten that far east. My squad usually helps on the roads between a few settlements west of here. With everybody we got now, we're all over the place, you know?"

Brandis nodded. "And the Brotherhood of Steel?"

The Minutemen started to snicker and then thought it would be impolite.

Brandis shrugged so hard his hands slapped his thighs. "Alright. What do you want?"

"You.", the General replied.

"Right now, Minutemen are responding to word of mouth and the occasional call from Radio Freedom. And that takes time. In that time, people are kidnapped longer by raiders and super mutants. Feral ghouls amass. People suffer.

"But you know technology. It's recovery from the Wasteland. How to repair it, restore it.

"So sure, I know of techies. Really brilliant ones at that. But they haven't taken on multiple ongoing projects before. On top of that, they don't understand command & units & organizational structure. I need a Colonel of Motor Pool that understands what I need out of reclaiming the APCs that litter the landscape. I need a colonel who can get people to be able to maintain the civilian broadcast radios I've been seeing everywhere. "

Brandis nodded. "Because the roads are damn near impassible. And you're pre-war aren't you? You're accostumed to the wires strewn about to actually carry messages instantly across the country side. So if I use my technical expertise to get a whirlybird up and running/"

"Focus on the APCs for now.", the General said. "Sure, flying would be a huge tactical advantage. But I need results and I need them now. Besides, there's maybe a handful of whirlybird wreckages strewn across I couldn't say how many square miles. Hit any random road and it feels like you'd trip over one of the APCs. Same with any building of significance and a CB.

"So I'm offering you a command and rank. It'll be some time before I can get you a facility, let alone one of the type we truly need. But I can offer you this: the Minutemen aren't in the business of bullying. We're here to help. And there are a lot of people out here that need helping. So far, any individual Minuteman has stepped up to help where they can. I'm trying to turn people into an organization that can be effective enough for individuals not to need help."

Brandis nodded. "And how do you expect to do that?"

"I'm from before the bombs, remember?", she reminded. "I served in the military sure. But I was also a lawyer."

"That was...", Brandis tried to remember. "Something like a regulations expert, right?"

The General nodded. "I think I can figure out how to build a working world. I just need the right people in the right job. And a veteran Brotherhood of Steel paladin, one from the days where people were helped rather than robbed, fits this bill very well. I'm forced to ask.

"And if your problem was with how Elder Maxson inflicted himself upon the people, then I think you're forced to accept." The General extended her hand to be shaken.

Brandis didn't accept it.

He saluted. "Yes, General. Where do you want me to start?"


	4. Build Up - 4

There was a grand clanging of metal on metal being unlocked and then tightened water tight again. The General came down the ladder to the bridge of the Yangtze to speak with its sole occupant.

"I have no more homing beacons to give to you.", Zao offered. "However, it is not as though I have a received a signal from any of the three that I have gifted you with."

"Hello to you too, Zao.", the General replied.

She then opened her blue coat. Carefully and very slowly, considering the military officer of an enemy country she was facing, she reached past the pistols that were holstered into a pocket and retrieved three small radio transponders.

"You don't want to carry these back to China. I hope you can believe that I don't want to inflict these on the Commonwealth.", she asked.

"Yes.", the captain agreed. "The tools man have made for wars across the world are...quite difficult to pei zhi, er, deploy when one lives on the battlefield."

"I also want these three to speak to my character.", the woman told him. "Because I need your service."

Zao shook his head. "I am sorry. My service is not mine to offer. It belongs to my homeland."

"Which, and I hope you realize I am actually sorry to say, may not be there.", she countered. "And you do bear some responsibility for obeying the order to launch on the Commonwealth. Perhaps not to the soldiers who were facing you in this war, but to the civilians and children that were harmed indiscriminately along side those of us that have seen the battlefield."

"Are you saying that as a member of your military in the Great War, you would have disobeyed such an order?", Zao counter accused.

"I'm not pretending to be on a pedestal. I mean, that I'm not saying I'm any better or somehow more moral.", the General explained.

"I am saying that there are real people who are really suffering right on the shore your periscope sees. And that I would ask your service so that I can add to their lives."

Zao's mutated eyes narrowed. "And how could a commander of a weapon 'help' such people? Returning to war? Turning their homes into a battlefield again?"

"If it comes to that.", the General lamented. "Look, I'm not going to sell you on anything. I'm going to speak plainly.

"The Minutemen is an organization that has pledged to help everyone in the Commonwealth. Despite acting as a protector for nearly a hundred years, it was nearly destroyed. Sometimes by sea monsters. Sometimes by just people and the evil that lies in the hearts of men. I have built it back up. Now it protects nearly a score of settlements all across the Commonwealth and the roads that connect them.

"Well, connect some of them. And that's why I need you so much. Some of the only places civilians can live is on an island, or routes that are much closer to inland rivers and streams than roads. There are more abandoned boats floating stagnant in the waters of the Commonwealth than I can count. The Minutemen are willing to help. But there's not a sailor among them."

The ghoul nodded. "So you are not seeking a warrior? But a sifu...er, teacher?"

"Like I said, I'll speak plainly.", the General objected. "I'd like to commission you into the Minutemen. You'd have a command and that command will be of soldiers. They will be preparing to fight threats, large and small, not all monsters and sometimes people. But as it stands...how events are now. I can't resupply a farm that's been plundered by supermutants or evacuate a community that's set to be overrun by creatures like your crew by water if lives were at stake. And they certainly are.

"So, if you accept your commission, I'd post men to your submarine so that you could teach them the ways of the sea while they completed any repairs to the Yangtze that you deign needed. I'd cycle them out from duty on board here to the various boats we can recover, repair and hopefully arm. They'd be put into service wherever the waterways of the territory the Minutemen operate within allow."

There was a long silence. Then Zao nodded thoughtfully.

"For how much time would you require me to remain in your lands...your waters, rather than my own?", he asked.

The General shrugged. "For as long as possible. It's not like you age anymore, right? But at a minimum, until you can train an apprentice to replace you as an experienced naval commander. And that we're not in a position where the loss of your guidance would prove terminal to the Minutemen or the Commonwealth. I don't know how long that would be. A year? Eight?"

Zao nodded again. But he remained silent.

The general offered this wisdom. "I once heard that the only way to get to the future is together. Even if any part of the China still remains despite the Great War, what would you offer them? Two hands and a submarine adrift after traveling the world without any of the international guidance systems that our militaries once provided? Or one that had been repaired by helping hands, stocked with grain from willing farms and fresh water refined? And maybe, just maybe, that two hundred years later Americans and Chinese can have proved that they can work together instead of in detente."

"De ten te?", the captain asked.

"At each other's throats, pretending that we aren't going to draw knives until one of us is stupid enough to think we have the bigger blade."

"Shi.", the ghoul mused.

"If I accept, I have one curse to inflict you with."

The General raised an eyebrow so high it was visible over her WRAPAROUND GOGGLES. "And what's that?"

"You can only perform three mistakes. Upon the completion of which, I leave. No questions. No...bargaining.", he answered.

The General shook her head. "I'm not perfect. No where near."

"Ah.", Zao consoled. "But you already hold your three mistakes in your hand."

The ghoul pointed to the HOMING BEACONS the General had laid out.

"Those are your three mistakes. Upon their use, I leave. Keep them, and you will keep me. That is similar enough to our original arrangement.

"You are acting out of goodness. To protect the civilians who live here. Correct?"

The General weighed the use of tactical nuclear strikes against all the reasons she had stated.

"And outside of that, you will follow my orders?", she confirmed.

"Of course, my General.", Zao replied.

She offered her hand. "Then welcome aboard, Colonel."

"Ah, the first lesson.", Zao informed. "If I am to command more than one naval ship, then it is Admiral."


	5. Build Up - 5

"Anne.", the General began. "How can I help?"

The seamstress slash actor looked sheepishly over her coffee. (The General's quarters in the Castle always had the best preserved coffee.) "Um, ma'am?"

The General nodded. "Well, I understand why the Colonels and Admiral Zao are here. I'm holding a meeting of my commanding officers to discuss policy and disseminate wide scale orders for the future of the Minutemen's actions to benefit the Commonwealth. But you're here. So I'm inferring that you must need my assistance with something."

"Oh.", Hargraves sighed in relief. "I'm just here to assist Colonel Shaw."

The General lowered her voice. "This is a command meeting. And while I assure you that your contributions have been immensely helpful, and not just with Shaw but since your time coming to the Castle. But I only have so much space in my office. You see the problem with setting the precedent of having the first person into such a meeting in light of how many others are going to have contributions?"

And as Anne nodded. "Furthermore, as I'm going to discuss later, I'm trying to unflatten our organization. No matter what one thinks of me or my adventures, I'm not infinite. I need people to be able to answer to me through their superior officers. And just as necessary, I need my commanding officers to be able to receive counsel from their subordinates. You see?"

"Yes, ma'am.", she said somewhat but not totally despondently.

The General saluted. "Back to your shop."

Then the woman came to her side of the table, then thought better of it. The General set the antique globe from one end of the table on the floor beside it and dragged a chair to the now head of the table, where a stack of folders lay. She gestured to the empty sides of the table and replaced her WRAPAROUND GOGGLES with EYEGLASSES.

"Gentlemen?"

Colonel Ronnie Shaw and Colonel Preston Garvey sat on the side of the table closest to the door. This left Colonel Brandis and Admiral Zao the other side of the table.

"For pleasantries, I'd like to thank Colonel Brandis and Admiral Zao for sharing our vision of a Commonwealth that allows people to live. To my ears, pre-war that they are, that sounds like a horribly limited goal. But it's where we are. So again, thank you for your future help."

"Shi, General.", Zao said nodding his wrinkled head.

Brandis just nodded.

"But first. I've gone over the reports that Colonel Garvey and Colonel Shaw compiled. To bring Colonel Brandis and Admiral Zao up to speed. We have nearly 30 settlements flying the Minutemen flag. Here are approximate mappings." And with that, the General slid two maps to the newly recruited.

"From my number running, we have about half or possibly a bit more of the settlement population exclusively farming. Yes, even though we could get away with maybe as little as a sixth to provide enough food and cleansed water. An additional sixth are scavengers. And a bit less than a sixth of the settlers have found a merchant craft. This is leaving a bit more than sixth that are actual Minutemen.

"Hence, the following command structure. The most important distinction. You've heard me use the term 'actual Minutemen'. So far I've seen these people say things like 'we're looking out for each other' or 'glad we have each other's back'. This is wrong. If you are not a Minuteman than you are _not_ and you are a civilian, deserving of the protections thereof."

Zao moaned.

"Yes, Admiral?", the General asked.

"It is a citizen's duty to defend his homeland. These people already share a responsibility.", Zao explained.

"Their duty is to be a civilian. With no farmers, no merchants...no people being people and raising children and just watching the sun set...there's no Commonwealth. Except maybe for the radroaches.", the General countered. "Long story short, this is America. Long story long:

"Yes, we have a surplus of farmers. And yes, I am interested in building our forces. That being stated. People are much better at what they want to do. That our entire force is a volunteer force, including the ones that have seen action along side me and even the eight casualties I've personally met, is a force multiplier of the highest order.

"On top of that, we aren't building a dictatorship or an oligarchy or even an empire. The Minutemen's mission statement has always be to help the Commonwealth at a moments notice. While that hasn't always been done to the extent it could, it is the goal we are trying to accomplish. And I've managed to bring the Institute itself in line with that idea. Forced conscription isn't help.

"Furthermore. Any government that's worth defending will have its citizens step up to defend. I don't know a single person in any Minutemen settlement that's going to choose the Mirelurks over picking up a laser musket.

"Understood?"

The group vaguely nodded except for Preston's "Yes, General." and Zao's head bow.

"I asked if that was understood?", the General repeated.

Colonel Brandis looked like he was satisfied for the first time in the meeting. "Yes, General." was chorused.

"Now that being said, I'm going to do nearly everything in our power to swell our ranks.", she assured. "And I'm ordering you to do so as well. I'm sure you're all experienced enough to know that's not to slouch on troop discipline but be the leader that inspires soldiers to want the difference between obeying an order and fulfilling one.

"So while I expect our numbers to grow in the future, we currently have what we have. So Preston: if the following won't work, now is the time to tell me.

"The leader of the Minutemen has traditionally been referred to by the title 'General'. I see no reason to change that. I personally don't have any reason to call myself 'Brigadier High Muckety Muck' and I hope whoever comes after me doesn't either. I'll continue to set policy, decide campaigns and determine responses to threats as the case comes up. Commander in Chief.

"The next rank being you, Colonel. Of which, of course, Admiral is one. Each of you have exclusive duties that I, as General, have entrusted to you with particular duties that affect the entirety of the Minutemen. I expect your orders to be obeyed. I also entrust you to choose attaches when you need them."

"A tash ays?", Zao asked.

"Attache. Right now, there's only one - Anne Hargrave. While Ronnie Shaw has safeguarded more of the assets of the Minutemen than anyone else/"

"That's actually you, General.", Ronnie interrupted. "I didn't get the Castle back, I just dug up what was underneath."

"Don't interrupt.", the General scolded with smile. "Now if I can continue praising Ronnie, Shaw has kept more of our assets secured than anyone else. Hence, her promotion to Colonel of Supplies instead of the many other positions I could use her for. However, she is no tailor. Anne Hargrave, who probably couldn't shoot her way out of a paper bag to save her life given the actors I've seen, is. Hence, Attache Anne Hargrave to Colonel Ronnie Shaw.

"Understand, Zao?"

"Yes, General." Zao stated with a head bow. "Thank you."

"Next come, for lack of a better term, Sheriff.", the woman continued. "I am not using the term 'mayor' for a specific reason, so don't suggest it. All our settlements are protected by local, resident Minutemen...mostly recruited by me. But there is still need for a local leader that includes oversight over the civilian population as well. These people need to understand both: the duties of the Minutemen and the needs of the local population. So some people who may have believed themselves civilians actually aren't. Sheriff is going to be the rank that governs a single settlement.

"Some are obvious like Abraham Finch of Finch Farm or Blake Abernathy of Abernathy Farm."

Preston nodded. "I get it. Roger Warwick is going to run Warwick homestead."

The General hesitated for a sliver of a moment and then tried to cover it up. "Exactly.

"But some aren't so obvious. Like Sturges in my neighborhood, Sanctuary. I'm going to have to cajole some people into stepping up, but they've been looking after places me so far. I'm having a woman named Cait keep things tampered down at Covenant and having Curie run Egret Tours Marina. Both have proven highly capable of surviving the trouble that comes visits places and I'll think they'll do both places well.

"Here's the full listing of Sheriffs. Hopefully they'll be obvious.", the General stated as she slid her next set of papers to everyone.

"At an given settlement there's other Minutemen by necessity settled in. Those cleared to run artillery will be referred to as Grenadiers to keep confusion with the actual term 'gunner' down to a minimum. Other Minutemen will simply be refered to as Minutemen. Everyone in the settlement will answer to their local Sheriff as the Sheriff sees fit."

Ronnie raised her hand. "Oh, please, oh, please, may I be allowed to speak, ma'am."

And then without waiting for a response. "What about particular folk in particular places? Like here at the Castle, you don't have anyone listed as Sheriff. And you don't have a rank for our Radio Freedom announcer."

The General agreed. "There are nearly always going to be exceptions to the rule. And the Castle is probably going to be king of them. We have more Grenadiers...more Minutemen here than anywhere else. When's a time when you aren't going to be here yourself, Shaw? I even was hesitant to promote you because I wanted to make you Sheriff here, but you're needed too badly. But our civilian population here is miniscule, just farmers - even our Doc is signed up. So I'm hoping the Castle has the discipline to run smoothly unlike say, Hangman's Alley."

"That being said - uniforms. From Anne and Shaw's counts, we do actually have a very slightly higher number of MINUTEMEN OUTFITs than Minutemen. All Minutemen are expected to be in said uniform when performing duty. Scheduled shifts at artillery, lookout posts, patrol, etc. And the whole squad the entire time a roaming squad is out on the road. Not to denigrate the men, but I don't want any more squads of Minutemen wandering into settlements looking like your average settler. People need to be able to identify us and see us as professionals. I've already brought two colonels on board due to time losses, I'm not losing a second more to settlers questioning who to approach.

"Adding to that, I managed to build up certain stockpiles on my travels through the Wasteland."

"You can say that again.", Preston commented. "You made me carry so much of it."

The General eyed him. "We ended up with actually enough combat armor to go around. Not everyone's going to be able to get heavily modded armor, but everyone will get a full set and there is a workbench in every settlement. If a roving band wants to make all of theirs lightweight, that's on them and their skill set right now. But I don't need casualties when there's armor, so I expect everyone under the rank of Colonel to consider it a part of their uniform."

"Why not us?", Brandis asked.

"I believe Colonels should be just as easily distinguishable as I am as General." was the answer. "As such, you'll all be issued COLONIAL DUSTERS, yes including you Shaw. See Anne after this meeting."

"How often are you in uniform?", Brandis asked.

Zao slid his chair away from him as quietly as he could.

Brandis tried to assure him. "No disrespect, just asking. Considering your wardrobe."

He had a point. Next to the only bed in the room (covered in COMFORTABLE PILLOWs no less) was a vanity so full that on its shelves were more clean suits and laundered dresses in different colors than the three Colonels had ever seen in one spot in their lives.

"Give her a break.", Preston defended. "She's from before the Great War. In her time, people with out even a place to come back to lived like we think of as the lap of luxury. Think about how much of jump it is for her. I get why she may do things that we can't understand, like have ten different sets of clothes all for herself when she can only wear one at a time. But that's just going to happen."

Ronnie doubled down. "Yeah, like what do you do with all the soap? You don't make any chems or explosives with it."

"My personal habits are not up for discussion.", the General declared. In the silence, she said "But it is true. The world I come from...life now is hard. Harder than I ever imagined having to go through, even when I was stationed on Okinawa during what everyone now calls the Great War.

"But back to the point. Minutemen per soldier supplies. I want everyone below the rank of Colonel also wearing a hat to note their title. SEA CAPTAIN'S HATs for grenadiers, POSTMAN'S HATs for Sherrifs, MILITIA HATs for male Minutemen and because of Shaw's fashion sense and not just the fact that we don't have enough MILITIA HATs for every single body we have out there, MILITARY CAPs for female Minutemen. Don't know how we ended up with enough combat armor but not hats, but there you go.

"Circumstances won't always allow for those to be the best options. So every soldier needs to have a helmet and a gas mask. Those, we don't have enough of to standardize. We do however have enough STIMPACKs to issue everyone two, along with a RAD-X and a RADAWAY. Like I said, I don't want casualties."

Brandis folded his arms. "It's a part of war."

"And the eight souls I've already seen fall in that damn bottomless pit raiders like to repopulate or the time the Castle was hit by super mutants and one woman didn't let any through the gate over her dead body are enough to teach me that.", the General countered. "There will be a time where I'm going to end up ordering people to lay down their life for the Commonwealth. I'm not going to have it be by holding back supplies to prevent it.

"Continuing, we're generating a surplus of PURIFIED WATER and we have an over abundance of farmers. The combat armor comes with a canteen and pockets: have the men use them. I don't want the men consuming RADS.

"Now as for weapons, the laser musket is the most symbolic weapon of the Minutemen. But only one in three are actually armed with a variant. There is a stockpile of weapons and not enough laser muskets to go around yet. I want everyone, particularly the roving bands to have at least one long arm and a sidearm per man. And I want the long arm and the sidearm to not be both energy or both bullet based.

"The roving bands will be getting more equipment. But that'll be when we get Colonel Brandis up and running."

Preston interrupted. "How's the Institute fit in this chain of command?"

The room fell eerily silent.

The General rubbed the bridge of her nose. "That. The Institute doesn't fit in this structure. Like I'm certain I'll tell you in the future: their surrender is both nuanced and difficult. I assure you that they will be placed into a regulated berth in the Commonwealth, suited to not just their needs but the greater tranquility. Right now, they are reorganizing as well. By way of for example, you may have heard less reports of synth presence. That's because they're pulling back those synths."

"I'm sorry, General.", Preston objected. "But people have been telling me that those synths have all been headed in one direction: back to the wreckage of the Prydwen. The Institute sending synths to peruse through high tech wreckage isn't exactly a new policy."

"So that's where that extra chunk of combat armor came from.", Ronnie realized.

"Wait. What?", Preston exclaimed.

"I didn't want Brotherhood weaponry falling into supermutant or raider hands, or the clutches of a host of other problems we have in the Commonwealth.", the General stated. "So when I ordered the Institute to pull back their squads from the Commonwealth to show people like you that they were sincere in this effort, I had them use the Prydwen as a staging area and busy work for their robots. It just so happened to benefit our men with additional protection."

"Oh.", Preston realized.

The General looked around the table. "Any other questions or corrections?"

Zao nodded. "I understand that you have put a lot of thought and...foresight...into these decisions. However, I would feel re...gret? No. Remiss, if I did not comment that the General hasn't considered ranks for her proposed navy."

The General face palmed. "You're right Zao. What do you suggest?"

"You have men guarding my Yangtze at the moment.", Zao informed the colonels. "I believe these to be of the Minutemen rank in the system you have proposed. You have also stated that I will be given people to train into crew so that they may recover and crew their own vessels."

"Therefore, I suggest this. When one is working with me on board the Yangtze, they should be call only the lowest of the low. Something like 'mole' or 'worm'. It will instill in them a drive to become better than what they are. Not calling them 'attache'. When they graduate to a skill where they have earned the right to see the sun again on a vessel of their own, then perhaps 'sailor' to show they have certain expertise like the rank of Grenadier tells.

"But most important to a navy must be the rank of 'captain'. Just as a Sheriff has total authority over his village, a Captain must have total control over his ship. This I cannot be more...forceful...adamant about."

The General nodded. "I agree. The rank of Captain will be filled as personnel and ships become available for it. And Captains will have all the privileges of command on board their own ship as Sheriffs have in their village. Any Minutemen that qualifies and serves on board a ship will be referred to as Sailor. And your submarine is freezing. All seamen will be issued USHANKA HATs. I hope you can work out a compromise between attache and *ahem* 'worm', but I understand you'll need something to separate initiates from people you come to count on."

"I think I should speak up as well then.", Brandis stated.

"Right.", the General nodded. "What are now roving packs of Minutemen are going to be primarily answering to you. What do you suggest?"

Brandis reminded, "Well in the Brotherhood, we were well served by the chivalry system. Pages being trainees becoming squires in the service of knights. Scribes serving as what you're calling attaches."

"I'm not using Brotherhood of Steel rankings in the Minutemen.", the General ordered. "I'd sooner use Institute rankings, and trust me - that's not going to happen."

"Hm.", Brandis considered. "If we're continuing with pre-war military jargon, Sargent for the man running the squad with Corporal for anyone cleared to run an APC. I mean, once we get more than the one the men you left me and I got up and running?"

"What about a woman cleared for power armor duty?", the General asked. "I plan on adding one to every roving squad."

"We have that amount of _power armor_?", Preston questioned.

Ronnie nodded and shrugged. "The General's been a busy girl."

The General brought the conversation back under her control. "Look people. I am absolutely serious about getting the Commonwealth to be livable. If that means boats, armored personnel carriers and power armor then that will just have to be the order of the day.

"So let's call Minutemen cleared for power armor duty Private on a roving squad and when we can afford it, Ensign on board a ship and we can get on with what to do with these people."


	6. Build Up - 6

"We currently have the slightest sliver of breathing room.", the General reminded. "We've got more people than any in recent memory, the Brotherhood of Steel has been repelled and the Institute isn't causing mysteries.

"We need to take a place for Colonel Brandis to get to real work. There's only so much he can do without a true base of operations. And we're going to end up relying on the mechanized units more and more as rovers are phased out into them.

"But I'm concerned that the men have are reactionary. The Minutemen volunteers has been forced to respond to crisis after crisis. An organized taking of an installation may be very different. But I have a solution:

"There's also another place we'll have to secure to take best advantage of what Admiral Zao provides. There is a lock between Oberland Station and Somerville Place."

"What's a lock?", Ronnie asked. "I assume you aren't talking about a safe lying in the ground somewhere."

The General nodded. "You know those big doors in the river way west? Those are part of a lock - an area where boats are raised or lowered to the water level of the river on the other side. Once the lock is under permanent Minutemen control, we'll be able to reinforceand supply by water from Somerville Place all the way back up to the Slog.

"And the best part is that it's unoccupied. It mostly has to be dug out in places, like our armory here in the Castle. Just no expectation of giant monsters."

The woman turned to Zao. "Accept firstly that the men guarding the Yangtze now are the first volunteers for naval training. Here's a list of potential ship locations reachable on the coast. If they can follow your orders and repair your submarine to a shape that you can respect, get them to take the most seaworthy one you can find. Promote only your best suited graduate to be the first captain though. When that crew has shown they can operate on their own, they might just end up being the captains of our future."

"As for you Brandis. I'm ordering nearly half of our roving repsonders to the effort of taking the lock. It's a gamble, we win when the remaining forces hold now that the Brotherhood isn't intimidating farmers to feed them and they show they can take a target by getting us the lock.

"At that point, we'll have to devise a campaign to take Saugus Ironworks."

Brandis shook his head. "Why there first? Isn't it held by the Forged."

"And the Forged must be pacified.", the General replied. "They're a direct danger to about three settlements. Furthermore, the Ironworks will allow us to actual manufacture new parts for things larger than a plate for a power armor frame. Isn't this the first thing you need to build motorpool?"

"I have a different course I'd like to propose.", the old man stated. "In your taking down the Mechanist, you also defeated the Rust Devils."

The General interrupted. "That reminds me. Did Radio Freedom ever announce the defeat of either?"

Garvey and Shaw both shook their heads. "I don't think so, General."

"Good. Don't.", the General stated. "Morale and some other things are good right now. Spending that good news immediately won't get us anything. But it will prove useful in leaner times.

"Now, as you were saying, Brandis?"

Colonel Brandis started again. "Well, in your campaign there, didn't you liberate Fort Hagen Hangar?"

"Of course.", the General agreed. "There's a vertiable cornucopia of APCs down there. The hangar doors just need to be dug out and power restored. Any resistance would be the remaining Rust Devils and not an entrenched Forged that's coped with Gunners on one side and super mutants on the other.

"Alright. So Zao, you've got your orders. Brandis - free the lock, then move on Fort Hagen Hangar. I'll try to meet up with you by then, so wait for me before you march out from the lock."

"Ronnie. The rest of the rover's are going to cycle through here for their re-issue. If they have too many rifles or armor, requisition their least favorite according to the accounting we've already set out."

"And what about other things?", Ronnie said. "I don't think we should ask a woman to give up her knife."

The General nodded. "There's going to be a host of gear these guys have that has gotten them to survive on the road. I'm not interested in taking any of that from them, only making sure everyone has at least what we can give towards what they need. The distribution will go quick by having the roving bands deliver ordinance to those embedded in settlements. It'll go double time once we can get a crew sailing and more APCs on the road."

"Preston. You're going to meet me outside Fort Hangen Hangar to go over to Vault 81. We have some public relations that'll be the next step in building the Commonwealth.

"In the meantime, I'm going to the Institute."


	7. Build Up - 7

1

"Oh, Director.", Rosalind Orman exclaimed. "I've forward...ded...what exactly are you wearing?"

The Director looked down at her attire and back up at the assistant of Advanced Systems. "It's a suit. On one hand, I figured I probably shouldn't be uniformed as the General of the Minutemen when I'm making Institute policy. In the other, I'm also a pre-war trained lawyer and not a post-war trained researcher. So taking up a lab coat strikes me as a bit presumptuous - particularly since I expect to be too busy to catch up in night classes."

The woman waited for Rosalind to respond. "That was a joke."

"Oh.", Rosalind realized. "Of course, Directors are presumptuous. Shaun and his predecessor were as well."

The mother frowned. "I had meant that I don't think the Institute has pre-war education infrastructure for amatuer AI developers.

"Anyway. In my time, a CLEAN BLACK SUIT and EYEGLASSES were synonymous with anonymous, governmental science institutions. And since I'm not wearing a courser's uniform for what I hope to be obvious reasons, I've decided on this for now. I've moved serveral suits of various colors into my suite."

"You should move into Sha...I, mean take over the Director's suite.", Orman offered. "Everyone kind of expects you to take up the perk of the most luxurious suite in the Institute now that you're the head."

The Director frowned slightly. "I...can't actually. Even my cramped bungalo is...er, was - before the bombs, more spacious than the suite I have in the Institute now or the room I have in Vault 81. If I allow myself to start expecting or hoping for more personal luxury then I'm going to start seeking it. And being resentful when I don't get it. And considering the conditions of people in Minutemen settlements and the communities of the Commonwealth...too many people are depending on me to stay in a 'roughing it' state of mind.

"There are people directly under my command on the surface that don't even understand why I would want regular changes of clothes."

"Ugh.", Rosalind commented. "Glad I don't have to go up there." Then she thought a moment. "I don't have to go to the surface, do I? Director?"

"Not as far as I know.", she replied. "Now that's granted you can get a type 2 synth to be able to explain the project I gave you to a possibly illiterate Minutemen recruit."

"Oh, yeah.", Rosalind enthused. "Back to what I asked you in for."

The scientist gestured to the weapon resting on the user ledge of the Institute's development firing range. "Introducing...the Institute make, Minutemen model laser musket, mark 1 beta.

"Your design specifications were that it had to be reminiscent of the current variety of muskets in use to reduce training time for experienced personnel. Secondly, it had to remain modular for easy customizing. Thirdly, it had to be lower maintainance than the weaponry we sent out with synths as Minutemen aren't recalled to base as often as our sorties.

"So, let's take this case off. You can see we kept the inline layout of the weapon. Each piece is interchangable, in case one soldier works best with a scattershot lens rather than a focuser, for example. While the fusion cell is reloadable without the weapon open, everything else is still air tight once the case has been returned to the weapon."

Rosalind locked the stock into her shoulder. "Using a polymer instead of wood allowed me to drop half a pound from the weapon despite the added casing. And the casing allows for the same assortment of scopes available in use today throughout the Commonwealth."

The scientist fired off a few bullseyes from the weapon and handed it to the Director.

"Well, I'm more comfortable with pistols than I am with rifles but let's see." The woman then matched those bullseyes.

"Pistol, smishtel.", Orman dismissed. "Women are just as capable with a firearm."

The Director leveled a gaze at her out of the corner of her eye. "I served in Okinawa against the Chinese led forces."

"Oh, that's right.", the scientist remembered. "Er, well, with approval we can have the automated manufacturing of Facilities start cranking these puppies out by the crate."

"And who does that approval?", the woman asked.

Orman hesitated. "Um, you ma'am. You're director now."

"Then go ahead.", she stated. "Coordinate with Robotics. Have them prep...let me see, power armor suits per APC..., twenty two...no. Have them prep twenty five type two synths. Wipe whatever knowledge of the Institute you need to from their storage devices to keep security. They'll need their standard sortie programming with the ability to follow Minutemen commands and your user manual for these. I'll want them and five or six times as many of the new I-M Laser Muskets to be ready to ship out to Minutemen custody pronto."

"Yes, director."

"And tell Li she's probably late for a meeting I'm going to have in a few minutes when I reach the conference room. But I'll do you a solid. On my way to tell Dr. Binet to get to our meeting, I will tell him to prep the Synths."

2

The Director walked at a brisk pace. A brisk enough pace that the scientist chasing her was somewhat breathless considering his more intellectual, less physically strenuous underground life style.

"How can I help you, Dr. Volkert?", the Director asked him.

"The serum you have me analyzing.", the Bioscience member explained. "The liquid...from at least what I can tell so far, shouldn't be liquid. It has remarkably long protein chains. And not like a colloid like you find in say, mother's milk. Not only should they fall out of solution but rapidly at that. Chemistry still goes to entropy without out of system energy. These proteins are long like polymers.

"Where did you even get the sample to begin with?"

The Director considered her words. "Do you want to come on an adventure with me on the surface to a probably not too hostile site? Whatever combat that will take place is probably minimal."

The man wavered. "I'm not really cleared for such a task."

"Ah.", she acknowledged. "Then I'm going to have to play this close to the chest for a bit longer, Dr.

"Dr.", she left as she walked away.

3

"Thank you for taking your time out of your busy schedules to meet with me today.", the Director began.

"Well, of course.", Dr. Ayo started. "Considering your efforts to induct expertise into the Minutemen, we're all positively thirsting for any -if you'll excuse the term- minute you can spare. How goes bolstering the Minutemen?"

"Not as well as bolstering the Institute, if I can make my plans work out.", the Director snapped back. "Wallace is still working out despite his solving the difficulty with the main technical problem we've been having, right? Aren't we all glad I was able to recruit him without bloodshed."

"She's got you there, Justin.", Allie commented.

"If your department could operate/"

"My point is made, Dr.", the Director interrupted. "In that vein, I'm proposing two new recruits to the Institute's human capital."

"But no one we've been monitoring has passed our criteria.", Dr. Binet objected. "Right?"

Dr. Ayo nodded. "Not according to my department's monitoring."

"I'm approving her.", the woman at the head of the table stated. "Isabel Cruz."

Collectively the scientists glanced to each other. "Who?"

The director shifted in her seat. "Those of you in tune with events on the surface might know her as The Mechanist."

"You know who the Mechanist is?", Dr. Ayo jumped in his seat to lean over the table at her.

"Sit down, Dr.", the Director stated.

"Do you know how many surface patrols we've lost due to engagement with her forces?", he continued to object.

The Director took a deep breath. Then she laid KELLOG'S PISTOL on the table and kept her hand resting on it. "I have been spectacularly lenient with scientists that disrupt processes of the Institute before, Dr. Ayo. I trust you believe certain members are taking adequate care of the Institute's food supply, yes? What I did not intend with that...mercy, was for people to feel encouraged to make the place fall down around our ears.

"So allow me to ask you this, Dr.: do you have a rational objection based on the actual attributes of Isabel Cruz that I and the rest of the Directorate should be made aware of? Or is everyone in the Synth Retention Bureau getting a promotion due to one man's emotions?"

Dr. Ayo returned to his chair. None of the scientists in the room felt comfortable. The man offered. "You did state that the realization of our goals of redefining mankind will be to make a safer world. Considering the hostile actions The Mechanist has taken toward just about everyone in the Commonwealth show that she's counter productive to those aims. Allowing her access to Institute technology appears to be a move that will add to the problem."

The Director holstered her weapon. "Thank you Justin. That is a rational objection in need of an explanatory response.

"I've spoken with Isabel. She was attempting to aid the Commonwealth. She programmed her lead robots to help the Commonwealth and the people within. The organic brains she had access to were preserved from pre-war criminals two hundred years ago. The brains themselves, being human, rewired some of their neurology and leapt to some...unexpectedly brutal conclusions."

Dr. Binet objected as well. "Didn't anyone on her support staff catch that as a possibility?"

"And here's where I think she's qualified for the Institute.", the Director stated. "She doesn't have a support staff."

Allie exclaimed. "The Mechanist, a feared faction leader in the Commonwealth, was a one woman operation."

"Here's the deal people.", their leader explained. "First, let's be real. The Institute only takes the most promising minds from outside. I had to shoot my way across most of the Commonwealth and a bit that's too irradiated to be called anything but glowing to get in myself. Ms. Cruz designed automated robot design work benches from scrap and ran a land wide program of automotrons by her lonesome. She is a genius in any sense of the word.

"Secondly, that level of talent needs to be contained and directed. Now she can work for the Institute, under the guidance of you and your colleagues furthering Institute research and being under our direct supervision. What she cannot be are as follows. One: In the Minutemen, allowing them to believe they have the technical wherewithal to operate without need of consideration of the Institute. Two: On her own, when her next flight of fancy turns some other benign resource into an actual threat. Three: In the service of some other faction that doesn't have the Commonwealth's (or for that matter, ours in particular) interest in mind.

"To that end. I'm taking X6-86 and the other one, the blank faced one that always wants to talk to me about my combat expertise..."

Dr. Ayo spoke. "You'll have to be more specific, Director. There are many of the model."

"One of them. Tell them I'm taking them on a diplomatic mission. They're going to be there to look like synths of action, not actually start shooting. But they should be ready in case something goes south.", the Director continued.

"I'm going to bring Isabel Cruz in. Robotics will put her insight to use. We'll be one threat down and one asset up in the process. Understood?"

The scientists nodded. "Then vote on it."

"I'm sorry?", Dr. Li asked.

"Taking in an outsider is an important matter that affects all of the Institute.", the Director explained. "We have our children here. I may not be a quantum mechanic or a theoretical biologist and I may have some aptitude with the use of a firearm in a combat situation. But I'm not trying to change in the Institute into something it's not. I'm hoping that Institute is what I keep telling myself and a lot of others, now and in the future, it is. Not a boogeyman, but actually here to help in ways many people surviving in the Commonwealth have a hard time understanding.

"Now I'm all for having people _believe_ we're what goes bump in the night. Actually being the villain isn't a part I'm in a desperate need to play. Hence, vote on it. Does the Directorate agree that we should induct Isabel Cruz, a.k.a. The Mechanist?"

Dr. Binet spoke first. "Second the motion."

"Aye." was chorused around the table.

"Now onto the second.", Dr. Filmore prompted.

"Yes, onto the second subject.", the Director stated. "Integrating the Institute into the Commonwealth's future government."

Allie frowned. "That isn't what I meant. I was talking about the second recruit."

"And I smoothly segued away from that topic.", the Director stated. "That way, I don't have to talk about it until I see the results from my attempt to induct Ms. Cruz. See?"


	8. Civility - 1

"In a very small amount of time, I'm going to have to start building up the civilian government of the Commonwealth.", the Director stated. "And it will have to include the Institute as an equal."

"But we aren't.", Dr. Holdren stated. "I mean...to suggest that anyone in the Commonwealth, perhaps the planet, can come close to our technology. Our security.

"I don't understand."

The woman sighed. She reached in her pocket and then held up a fist. "Dr. Do I have a Nuka Cola bottlecap or a Gwinnet bottlecap in my hand?"

Dr. Holdren shrugged. "I can't tell you."

"Exactly." Then the Director released the ten millimeter round she was holding onto the table.

"The Commonwealth will be able to produce more resources if it is secure. If people believe that they are safe and are treated equally, then there is less reason for them to be unpredictable or violent. Hence, in bringing the Commonwealth's communities together under one banner, each of them must believe that the Institute are only being afforded the same rights and privileges that they are."

"Even though you're the Director of the Institute and the General of the Minutemen.", Dr. Ayo accused. "Or at least, I'm assuming you're going to do this under the banner of the Minutemen."

The woman nodded. "I've already explained how the Minutemen has the people's trust. Part of their reasoning to not interfere with the Institute is the belief that the Minutemen have brought the Institute in line. When they are asked to participate in a government that assures them their rights, it would be terminally suspicious if the Institute weren't right alongside them. There must be a show that we are just as much under the auspices of the Minutemen as Diamond City or Bunker Hill."

"But won't that inherently interfere with Institute operations?", the head of Facilities asked. "I mean, won't involvement compromise informational integrity of the Institute? Or at least tie up time of its personnel by participation."

"And that's why I'm going to need a ringer.", the Director explained. "First, Institute personnel don't venture to the surface without a anti-contamination suit, yes?"

The head of Bioscience nodded. "We've avoided many calamaties with such precautions. Diseases. Radiation. Microscopic pests."

"Then why would an Institute representative not be unidentifiable?", the Director mused. "Furthermore, a representative would have to be bound to accurately pursue only the Directorate's policies. Any _human_ we sent may slip up subconsciously in a way that would only be remembered to late."

Dr. Binet interrupted. "You're suggesting that we send a Synth as a representative to this new government you're proposing. We lose no man-hours. We give the waste landers the show they're expecting. Any decision that comes out of the body politic has our input."

"Plus, in order to maintain Commonwealth wide control, I'm going to have to guarantee each community autonomy.", the Director added. "Because of the inadequacies of any given community, whether it's Bunker Hill's lack of a Watchmen equivalent or Diamond City's dependency on outside resources, they'll need Minutemen support. But adding in a boogeyman like the Institute/"

"And they'll want to believe that they're still standing by themselves.", Dr. Li understood. "Just like communities that depended on the Brotherhood in the district."

Dr. Ayo took up the thought. "So they'll each want a guarantee of non-interference from the others. Which means that just by having a seat at the table, they'll all have to pledge not to interfere with us."

The Director spoke enthusiastically. "And I'm sure you all know enough psychology that a human does best what the person wants to do. Instead of getting friction with the Minutemen from curtailing them, they'll have all agreed - even demanded - that they never step on the Institute's toes."

"Plus, with you being the Minutemen Director/"

"General."

"Sorry.", Allie conceded. "We'll never compete for a resource again. Anything outside their walls will have to go through the Minutemen. The Minutemen will 'protect' them by deciding that the resource is too dangerous to pursue. And now our extraction teams won't even have to lose efficiency by killing them."

The scientists at the table looked at the Director in a new light.

"I'm a lawyer.", she admitted.

"So you want me to transfer X6-86/"

"No.", she cut off Dr. Ayo. "X6-86 is effective at exactly what he does. But he's been programmed to have nearly your contempt for anyone from the surface. It'll come off as an attempt at intimidation. We need something from the Courser program to ensure that the Synth has been vetted for abnormal cognitive processes. But we're looking for someone that won't steer a conversation, or take initiative to engage in conversation. Find one that specializes in fading into the background."

"G9-81 was rejected from courser training due to a lack of violent tendencies.", Dr. Binet offered. "She has been the model of obedience. And I don't recall any time she's ever gone above and beyond her initiative."

"Excellent. Prep her.", the Director stated.

"Any other business?"

Dr. Binet slid her a folder. "We've recovered much from the airport. Liberty Prime and and Prydwin debris have been given priority and we're almost at full recovery of those."

"If it's efficient, allow base military tech to be separated.", the Director ordered. "It may prove well to have any Brotherhood of Steel power armors repainted under the Minutemen flag and the same with heavy infantry weapons. But if it's actually dangerous, new or just plain weird: bring it down here as soon as its spotted.

"Any problem with other scavengers?"

The head of Robotics shook his head. "Not yet."

"No one's ready to make a move.", Dr. Ayo interjected. "Everyone's waiting to see what the new status quo is."

"Well then I better get going.", the Director said. "We want that status quo to be defined by us. And that's going to take some speed."


	9. End Game - 1

Cabot House. It was the only thing that appeared like it might have those hundreds of years ago. When she was still building a life...in that formulaic way everyone had. Back when she thought she'd never have to pick up a firearm again. Back when she could stop being military and start being a mother, a wife, a bake-sale block-party PTA neighbor.

And the primary reason she couldn't was why she was here.

Because that wasn't the militia counting on her to rebirth it. Not the science fiction non-corporation that was mildly holding every life in the Commonwealth hostage for her leadership. Not even the holocaust of nuclear fire that hadn't spare any thing else.

The General unlocked the door and set boot upon vacuumed carpet.

"You again.", Edward stated. "We don't really have any jobs right now. No matter how well you did the last one. But word is, you're more than busy enough."

"I need to speak with you and Jack.", she explained. "And no one else. Not even your other...are they still 'employers'?"

"Heh.", Edward understood. "I'll get Jack and we'll head into the dining room."

The General didn't have to wait long. "I'm sorry, General.", Jack began. "I don't have any other gifts besides perhaps a small portion of bottlecaps. I've been locked away in my studies attempting to recreate the serum. After all, we have lost the source and without it the Cabot family's end is soon to come."

The three sat around the table with Cabot at the head and Edward across from the General.

She dug in her pocket for a moment. "Oh, you mean this?", holding up a volume of MYSTERIOUS SERUM.

"How do you have that?", Edward accused.

"When you asked me if there was anything the raiders had left, I lied.", the woman told them. "In fact, there's a lot I'm lying about. And I'm going to lie a _lot_ more.

"But there is a real truth that I need to bring you in on. Jack, for your expertise. And Edward, for your experience in keeping certain matters on a really strict code of silence. You both understand the compartmentalization of information and its need. Now if that's a price you can pay to know, we can get into what you're going to pay for knowing."

"On the other hand. If you're on board. I can hand you this vial of serum. And should the Institute be able to replicate it, many more instead of just a few.

"But in all honesty. You're a scientist. And what I have to tell you will allow you at least two things. The first being the single greatest mystery you will ever have. The second being an opportunity to save the whole world: the planet, humanity, the whole kit and kaboodle. What scientist could resist?"

Edward cursed. "Bull/"

"Edward!", Jack stopped him.

"Think about it, Jack.", Edward demanded. "General of the Minutemen and from all reports, including her own, the foot in the boot of the boot on the neck of the Institute itself wants to deal. There's no way we're going to survive any of what she wants us to volunteer for! If she was after something we had, between a gang of Minutemen that don't have shelter in the condition of this house and a gaggle of Synths, the she'd just take it. She wants us to do something. And that something has to be astronomically dangerous."

Cabot lifted his hand, as if to physically pause him. "And that's why she didn't want mother or Emogene here. Considering she's coming to us, it has to be my expertise she's interested in - you have pointed out she has an overabundance of military might. And that this expertise doesn't exist within even the Institute, despite their technology allowing them to kidnap and replace _people_.

"So, General. What aid with LORENZO'S ARTIFACT can I offer. Help designing a process for its mass manufacture?"

The General looked at Cabot. Looked at him real hard. "Does that mean you're in?"

Jack nodded. "Sure."

And the woman shook her head. "No. I mean, are you in? Have no misgivings gentlemen. If you're in, then that's it. If you breach my confidence I will kill you all. Not just you two. Your mother, your sister, the physical house...I will grind the asylum to the ground and search through the library to erase the name Cabot and all evidence of everything this family has ever been involved with from history. No matter how many artillery strikes or synths I lose doing so. Not as a punishment or a threat of coercion. As a precaution."

Edward and Jack looked at each other. "You really mean it, don't you?", Edward confirmed.

The General didn't respond.

"We're in.", Edward told her.

"Now wait a minute/", Jack started before the ghoul cut him off.

"No. We're in.", Edward informed. "We've been around a long time. And the only person who gets it is Emogene. This family facing mortality will crumble instantly and rip itself apart, Jack. And that's just us. The important part, the real important part, is what she's after. Something tells me that if she can't get this done, we're screwed anyway."

Jack took a deep breath and sighed. "Well, I've always noted your council. I have no reason not to do so now. And, as the General so aptly points out, I have a very liquid reason to accept."

The General wanted to make sure. "Should I tell you what I am about to then you can't tell anyone. Even to do what I need you to do, you'll probably have to all but disappear. However, you seem to be able to accept your isolation. And you've maintained for longer than just the two hundred years of the post-war era. Last chance."

The two men nodded.

"Is the house wired?", the General asked. "Is there anyway your other family members will hear this, or a hacker could steal this information?"

"No.", Cabot stated.

"Just checking.", she replied.

Then she brought up a map of the Commonwealth on her pipboy. "Here, in an unmarked spot outside of Oberland Station. An alien craft is crash landed, out in the open."

Edward glared at her.

The woman took out an ALIEN BLASTER and set it on the table.

"Okay.", Edward acknowledged.

Cabot's fingers reached out reflexively but he hesitated. "May I?"

The General nodded. She pulled out what she believed to be the ammunition for the weapon before handing it over. But for all she knew, it could be internal decoration if aliens decorated things they couldn't see due to a difference in culture.

The scientist poured over the weapon. "And the craft?

"The alien.", she continued. "I tracked a bizarre signal to a cave. In that cave was an actual visitor from another planet. Not wanting to mess up first contact, I had every thing holstered and walked in to meet him. It? It saw me and just started shooting. I backed out of the cave. No return fire. It just kept shooting. I had to put it down for my own safety. Fortunately, human weapons worked. Or at least if they have a force field or unobtanium armor, this one didn't. I stopped the signal and promised myself I'd get back to it after I found my son.

"Well, I have found my son. And now I'm getting back to it. That thing reacted to me like we react to a death claw - an existential threat that can't be reasoned with but could be eaten. If these aliens show up in any number or even with less crash worthy ships, the whole world is doomed. And not just blow ourselves back to the stone age with nuclear weapons screwed. I mean, no one survives, no one rebuilds, no one.

"So I need you to analyze everything there. We need to not only understand the threat, but be able to meet and exceed their technology before they get here. You're the only person I know with any kind of know-how in this type of situation. On top of that, I can't let any of this get out. So I can try to get you things from the Institute or resources from the Minutemen. But you'll be on your own. From doing the actual investigation to building some sort of structure over the thing to keep people from finding out."

"You saw what the fear of the Institute did to people.", the General explained. "Imagine if they knew we weren't alone. And that the company we're keeping is dangerous. I'm not talking just the last straw that broke the camels back on people struggling to keep any kind of hope alive. What happens when the Children of Atom view an alien power source as a glow from above and actively try to destroy any defense against them? Edward, you've probably seen a fusion core going critical. What happens when some scavver comes along and tries to dismantle a star drive?"

Edward cut her off. "Why not go to the Institute? From the outside looking in, they seem to have a good grasp on technology and the ability to keep their mouths shut."

She shook her head. "If the Institute saw an existential threat, they'd abandon the Commonwealth entirely. Maybe the rest of humanity. They'd spend all their time holing up and prepping a mega-weapon. Everyone else could go hang and our species would die before any alien fired a warning shot."

"So, let me get this straight.", the ghoul rasped out. "You want Jack to reverse engineer an alien spacecraft and anything that came from it, including the pilot, well enough that it's not only usable but available to replicate. We need to keep this entire operation more than hush-hush: not just from raiders, but the Commonwealth wide Minutemen and it's spook the Institute. It'll be just us with the occasional 'care-package' from you. And if we mess up, it's bye bye humanity. And if anyone finds out, you'll burn us before the untold power of the aliens does. And all we get in exchange is a vial of serum, that you damn near stole from us to begin with, and a lead on more?"

The General pursed her lips. "That...about sums it up. This is our ticking time bomb, gentlemen. Everything I'm doing is in preparation for what this foretells. And I have no idea what number the countdown's on. All I know is that it's game over, no continues."

Cabot clapped his hands. "When do we start?

"Now, right?"


	10. Build Up - 8

1

"You are late.", X6-86 announced. He stated this in a more monotone voice than a vice principal over an intercom. If there was any emotional content, it would only be pride in the fact that the synth was a machine which would defeat the purpose.

"Did you have something better to do?", the Director asked.

"No.", the synth informed. "You haven't given another directive."

"Then let's keep quiet and see how hard a sell Isabel needs.", she replied.

The two synths accompanying the General took stock of the complex that had become the Mechanist's lair. "This is a very fortified location.", the second Synth observed. "However did you flush her out of it?"

"I didn't.", the Director replied. "I had Ada, a robot I found, impersonate the key mechanism for the doors. Other than that, I had to shoot my way through the Mechanist's robots."

X6-86 regarded his design counterpart. The other blankly nodded, silently agreeing that the Director's combat skills may live up to the hype.

After some traveling and not tripping over some of the yet to be fully functioning automotrons, the three came upon the central core of the Mechanist's seat of power.

"Oh, um...hello. Again.", Isabel greeted.

Her floating eyebot, Sparks, beeped at her.

"Omigod!", she exclaimed. "I'm not a synth. Don't hurt me."

The woman tried to calm her. "They know you're not an escaped synth, Isabel."

Only to rile her up again. "They do want you to come with them."

"What? Why? What do they want with me?", Isabel cowered.

"I presume you've heard of the Institute.", the Director stated. "We're more than just the one that makes the Snyths you've seen. We hold the most advanced technological facilities that humans have ever made. It is a community that's also an engineer's wonderland. The Institute has the resources to advance any skill, build any project, and press the limit of human perspective over the horizon.

"And we want you to join."

Isabel stopped shaking. "Really?" She turned to Sparks. After a beep, "Really?"

"Of course.", the director continued. "You've displayed extraordinary ability. The robo-brains alone show that you are a self taught neurobiologist, applied chemist, computer scientist and fabricator. Adding in the disruption to the Commonwealth you've caused, no one can doubt your initiative or work ethic."

"But I was only trying to help.", Cruz reiterated.

The Director nodded. "And I believe you. If I didn't think you were trying to help the Commonwealth rather than destroy it, I would have killed you.

"X6-86 can attest to that."

"She has eliminated many threats to the Inst...the Commonwealth.", his emotionless voice decided on.

The Director continued. "At the Institute, you can continue your work in adding to the physical capabilities of synths. Perhaps even learn something about non-circuit based AI. You'll also have a lifestyle that's a lot...cleaner. Perhaps even more scheduled."

"Would I get to choose my own projects?", Isabel hoped.

"Perhaps. In time.", the Director conceded. "But that's after a period of integration. You'd be working under a mentor that will try to catch you up on the advances in robotics that have taken place the last two centuries. Given a steady progress considering your days as the Mechanist, and you could end up being a project head in due time."

"And Sparks can come with me?", she continued.

The woman looked to her accompanying synths. The two coursers frowned.

"It would help if Sparks served as more of an observation point for you above ground...as long as it didn't communicate messages out. It may be harmful for your eyebot if he went through a screening process vigorous enough to clear him for the Institute. But I will warn you. And Sparks. Operational and informational integrity is paramount at the Institute. If Sparks so much as starts the first soundwave of a beep telling anyone about anything having to do with us, he won't make it from the crest to the valley of it.", the Director explained.

"What if we don't go?", Isabel asked.

The coursers drew their Institute rifles.

The Director quickly pushed their weapons into aiming at the ground. "I'd very much like to persuade you that coming to the Institute is for the best. The access to resources, from a shower to abundant food to the most educated minds in the Commonwealth to collaborate with, is unparalleled. There's no reason not to."

"And I suppose I can't stay here.", she lamented.

"Well, I am the General of the Minutemen as well." the Director informed. "The entirety of the Commonwealth is coming together. And it's going to be a place where life takes root once more. The Institute is the place for you if you were honestly trying to help that dream become a reality."

"Alright.", Isabel. "Let me pack and we'll go."

"If you don't have any sentimental mementos, ma'am.", X6-86 interrupted. "Then packing will be useless. Most every item will be judged worthy of recycling to prevent contamination to the Institute."

"Oh.", Isabel acknowledged. "Well, just Sparks here.

"I guess...we get going then. Where to?"

The Director smiled. "You don't go to the Institute. The Institute takes you there. I'd stand pretty close if I were you."

And with that she entered in a command to her pipboy. A sourceless lighting flash leaped across them, then a bright flash.

2

"Ah! What's going on. It's all blue and white.", Isabel fretted.

"Don't worry.", the Director comforted. "The Molecular relay just does that. Your vision will settle in a second."

"Oh, wow.", Isabel realized as her sight came back. "Did we just...teleport?"

Dr. Holdren made himself known at that point. "Yes, you did, Ms. Cruz. Now if you'll step towards me, I'll take you to our medical offices. I'll decontaminate you and assess your health to bring you up to par with Institute standards."

"Oh, you poor dear.", Isabel fretted.

It was Dr. Holdren's time to be confused. "Excuse me?", he asked as the inductee walked right by him.

"They didn't give you extendable arms and still assigned you this task.", she lamented to the type one synth mopping the floor outside the Molecular Relay.

"Here, let me help."

"I don't think that's wise.", Holdren called out. He stopped his approach when the Director held his elbow.

Isabel patted her jump suit pockets and found herself without tools. So she just started bypassing parts on the synth itself for now extra materials. Using those materials, she fashioned stand-ins for screwdrivers and even wrenches out of wire and hose. Using those, she altered the configuration of the android's arm.

"How's that?", she asked.

The android started mopping again...without bending at the waist or across its back. "There's a bit of unexpected feedback to this unit's firmware.", it reported.

"uh doy.", Isabel cursed herself. Using a left over wire, her fingers nimbly attacked the base of the synth's neck. "What about now?"

"Reprojecting task completion time.", the synth responded. "Current efficiency has been increased to..."

And then the synth nearly had an emotional response. "114%?"

"There you go.", the former Mechanist congratulated.

"Oh - sorry, doctor.", Isabel apologized. "There was an initial medical exam?"

3

Dr. Binet complimented the Director. "Ms. Cruz is...quite the find. I'm certain that she'll become a doctorate holder in a very short amount of time."

"I thought she might fit in.", she mused.

"I'm looking forward to your second candidate.", the Robotics scientist followed.

The woman shifted from one foot to the other. "I'm probably not going forward with that. The Institute is a finely tuned operation. I don't believe the other candidate's talent is worth the disruption."

She hoped that explanation covered her not telling him about Jack Cabot.

It didn't.

"Why not?", Dr. Binet inquired. "Who is it?"

The Director pursed her lips. "I'm sure you know how some elements of the Institute are less happy with my 'promotion' than others. But in my eagerness to bolster the Institute's capacity, I considered bringing in Dr. Vergil from the cold."

"Brian?", Alan stated, shocked. "But he sabotaged an entire project."

She nodded. "So did some other people from Bioscience that I could mention. But in his interest, the program he sought to shut down eventually was. He was right, and that ought to count for something.

"On the other hand, anticipate the result of antagonizing the same department again."

"Hm.", Dr. Binet accepted. "I see your point."

"And even the consideration of Dr. Vergil is going to rub them the wrong way. Can I count on your support in rescinding his nomination, at least for now? And without his identity being an issue?", the Director manipulated.

The man nodded. "Certainly. Director."


	11. Build Up - 9

The General closed the hatch after her as she climbed down the ladder. "Where's Colonel Brandis?", she asked the room.

"Two levels down, showing Jack how to check for plumbing leaks.", a Minuteman responded. "This way, ma'am."

The soldier then led her down a hall where a blockage once stood. Deep within the river bank, she eventually found the aging man.

"General.", Brandis saluted.

"Colonel.", she replied. "How many men did you have to use to dig up this much of the facility?"

"Funny story.", he informed. "We only found two major blockages. So while I nearly tasked half the total mobile force, with regular switch outs of crews to keep Colonel Shaw busy, we didn't need quite so many. On the other hand, since we're probably leaving men here to run the place after we leave for Fort Hagen Hangar..."

"It all works out.", the General nodded. "How long until we're operational?"

"We've already tested positive.", Brandis continued. "The blockage upstairs kept everything out that may have damaged or deteriorated any of the actual machinery. And since the lock is powered by water pressure and current flow, the facility is online as long as there's a river to manage.

"I already sent our two functional APCs full of men to clear the river blockage at Cutler Bend. Your gi...Sheriff Curie is prepping to accept her first ship at Egret Tours Marina."

The General nodded. "That is...really ahead of schedule. Fine work, Colonel.

"Have you and Admiral Zao spoken of who's command the lock is going to be under?"

"Yep.", Brandis affirmed.

"And?", the General prodded.

"A lot of nope and a side of don't know.", he explained. "We can reach him from the communication room. I'll take you."

The General walked along side him. Even though Minutmen were working to arrange what had been found, and therefore scavenged, from the facility they hurried out of her way as she past.

"Your men are some hard core vets, General.", Brandis filled the silence.

She turned her head toward him. "How so?"

"I gathered men at random for this op.", he told. "As soon as word spread that you had something you wanted done, I was neck deep in volunteers. Due to the crew switch outs, I've seen most of them. Not one hesitated to be the first to hop down a dark hole in an unknown location. They love hard work. Not many are too stupid to get the workings of this place once its explained to them. They're looking forward to taking Fort Hagen Hangar and more. Only thing that seemed to bother them is looking like they're letting down a buddy."

The General nodded and spoke softly. "I understand. The raiders love rock quarries for some reason. Before we had artillery set up, I shot a flare for back up. That's how I got the first four dead of my command. Not one of them took a single step back, even when injured, even after the first three fell.

"That's why I'm so adamant about avoiding casualties, Colonel Brandis. Yes, it's going to happen. And yes, I'm going to order it. But not any time soon or for want, if I can help it."

The two entered a cage near the top of the facility. "Get the Yangtze on the line.", Brandis told the Minuteman manning the ham radio.

As the woman operated the device, he turned to the General. "Oh yeah. Once word was that you were on the look out for these, nearly every crew that switched out with an original dragged one of these in. Communication with the Castle says Ronnie's gotten one from every crew that came from us her way. So far, we can reach the two APCs, the Yangtze & the Castle."

"That's good.", the General stated. "But we're going to need all of them. And more. I want one in every settlement and aboard every ship and APC in the Minutemen. I'm going to need more for offices elsewhere as well. I don't even know if there are that many left functioning in the Commonwealth. But considering the remaining radios that haven't lost power and are still able to pick up Diamond City Radio wherever they are, here's hoping."

"General?", the Minuteman interrupted. "Yangtze's on the buzzer."

"That's 'horn', Minuteman.", Brandis corrected.

The woman looked confused. "But it doesn't sound like a horn, it sounds like...You know what? Yes, sir. Horn, sir."

The General raised an eyebrow at the Colonel, alluding to his previous assessment. "I said, they were vets. Never said they weren't a bit country.", Brandis objected.

She took the microphone the woman offered. "This is the General. To whom am I speaking? Over."

"Yangtze, Actual. Over.", Zao replied through the speaker. His soft voice was clear enough to decipher in the hardened room.

"I'm told you and Brandis have talked a lot about stationing men at this lock and said nothing. Over."

"Yes. Over.", the Admiral agreed. "Considering that it is a stable emplacement that won't be directly under motor pool, it seemed...ill served for Brandis to have his men stationed there on a permanent basis. In the other hand, I have no authority to emplace sailors on shore. Over."

"I see what you mean.", the General stated. "I'm going to have Brandis keep a crew here to hang tight and run the place for a while. I'll talk with Colonel Garvey. He'll be able to get men to replace the ones stationed here so they can get mobile again. After they train up their replacements. Over."

"That is more than acceptable, General. Over.", Zao.

"How are your men coming? Over.", she asked.

"I am in agreement with Colonel Brandis.", the ghoul replied. "The Minutemen ranks are filled with those strong of heart and calm of head. I had expected to build discipline with polishing my Yangtze. Instead, the work is done. I had expected my lessons on the nature of the water to fall on deaf ears. Instead I have had 'the best' students."

The General interrupted. "The best students? Over."

"Yes.", the admiral affirmed. "An average student will do what is asked of them, if it is not too difficult. A bad student loves seeing a new knowledge but never practices it. The best student understands that every teacher they have was a student just like the student is now and had to go through all the things the teacher is putting them through now. Every one of the Minutemen you have sent me, may never have a ship like my Yangtze but will have the soul of a sailor.

"And a sailor they will be soon. We are already seeking out one of the many ships adrift. Looking for the one most suited to the possibly shallow waters of the marshes and rivers of the Commonwealth. I am surprised to expect that you will have a ship to test the lock by the time Colonel Brandis has taken Fort Hagen Hangar. Over."

"That means a lot, Admiral.", the General replied. "On their way here, they should find a possibly wrecked ship with two APCs aboard. It shouldn't be manned but it could be occupied by raiders. Is that something your men will be able to handle? Over."

Zao confirmed. "Fighting enemies of the Commonwealth is not something you have reason to doubt of these men. I will see to it that they understand how to board a vessel at sea. Over."

"Thanks again, Admiral. Over and out.", the General ended.

"As for you Brandis.", the General turned. "Let's see about cleaning up here. I have more than a few power armor rigs to turn over to your crews, and I need APCs to do that."


	12. Build Up - 10

Preston walked up the road to what looked like a Rust Devil encampment. Or at least, from a distance. As he got closer to the enormous satellite dishes, he could see more and more Minuteman influence. Not just from the APCs parked at the entrance to the wooden, junk fencing. Several soldiers were on a side of the hill, toiling away at a hole in the ground.

Preston walked up to the nearest uniform. "Where's the General?"

The soldier turned toward the APCs. "ETA until General?!"

A head popped out of the APC and ducked inside. The head popped back out after a moment. "That Colonel Garvey?!"

"Yeah!"

The head ducked back inside the armored personnel carrier. Another moment passed before the head came back into view. "General'll meet him at the current gate!"

The soldier pointed. "Up that hill, sir."

Garvey saluted the soldier. The man was half way back to digging into the hillside but turned on a dime. He and the rest of the diggers saluted as quickly as they could and returned to their work.

Preston walked the rest of the way up the hill to what was once the gate the Rust Devils had set up. By the time he got there, he heard a tone that he hadn't ever before. Spinning and readying his laser musket, he saw his first APC in motion. Then he realized what startled him must have been a car horn.

The APC rolled to a stop in front of him. A whir filled the air, and a power armor suit appeared from behind the APC.

The General's X-01 MK. VI power armor guided him away from the APC. Once Preston was clear, it slapped the APC and the vehicle drove into the camp. The power armor came apart and the General stepped down from her perch inside.

"Sorry for keeping you, Preston.", she greeted.

"No problem, General.", he dismissed. "I came through the northern settlements. Took some extra time, but brought the entrenched Minutemen up to speed."

"Good, good.", the General agreed. "Any news?"

"Thinking about taking an attache.", Garvey admitted. "You know Doc Hargraves?"

"She's a civilian. That's why I gave her a spot up at Abernathy Farm.", the General stated. "Why induct her?"

"Well, I'm supposed to be keeping track of the men. Their health seems to come under that. Considering that I'm not doctor..."

The General nodded. "No, no. You're right.

"It's just keeping track of everything in my head. Once this crew unloads, they have to speed back to Sanctuary and get another load of power armor, now that Sturges knows to hand them over."

Preston considered her. "You never let anyone in your house."

"And they have no reason step inside now.", the General stated. "The armors are lined up outside my home. They just need to take the FUSION COREs from the ones they're walking off back with them."

Preston nodded. And then he readied his laser musket again. But unlike before, everyone else besides the General did as well.

"Stand down people!", she cried out while rubbing her eyes.

The surrounding Minutemen slowly unleveled their weapons. The cause didn't seem to care one way or the other. The twenty five type 2 Synths continued marching up to the General.

"First shipment of Institute make, Minutemen model, production run Mk. 1 LASER MUSKETs delivered.", twenty five identical, mechanical voices overlapped.

"Reduce voice volume temporarily.", the General called out.

At half power, all the machines called out "Yes, mother."

Preston turned to her. "Mother?"

"Yeah, that's creepy.", the General agreed. "Alright, who's in charge?"

Again there was the collective response. "You are."

She waved her hands. "No, I mean which one of you are designated as 'leader'."

"All units present are Strider model.", they simultaneously informed.

"I see.", the General acknowledged. "Alright, look. Rearrange yourselves into a single file line. Go inside, and report to Colonel Brandis. Whichever unit is first, inform Colonel Brandis and any Minutemen that draw on you that the muskets and yourselves are to be issued to roving units much like APCs. Have Brandis arm all Minutemen with the muskets but only one Synth per unit on my orders."

"Yes, ma'am.", the machines agreed. The Synths exchanged call numbers and in a few seconds self-sorted into a single file line. Then they walked into the ex-Rust Devil encampment.

"Again, 'Mother'?", Preston asked.

The General sighed. "Hold on.

"Sargent? Make sure my particular power armor gets back to the Castle. Even if it has to go back on the first unit cleared by Brandis."

The soldier nodded. "Yes, General.

"Um, General?"

"Yes, Sargent?"

"What's a unit going to look like, now? I mean, I've been roving the land with three other people ever since we made a comeback."

The woman nodded. "Now, instead of walking, your Corporal will be driving your APC and your Private will be mounting a power armor on board. And one of those Synths will be issued as equipment to your unit as well. _It_ is a lot more expendable than any _living_ person under your command. You can spread that word."

"Yes, ma'am.", the woman nodded.

"Alright, Preston.", the General resigned herself. "Let's hit the road to Vault 81."

"Now?", the man asked.

"Ye...oh, 'Mother'.", the General realized. "Apparently my son's DNA was crucial to the Synth projects. As such, he was referred to as Father...particularly by the Synths themselves. Recently, they've started using the term 'Mother'. It's just as annoying as when you tried to call me *ahem* 'babe'."

"It sounds like you're pretty deep into the Institute.", Garvey pressed.

She nodded with widen eyes. "That's one way of putting it. I feel it's more like riding a MENTATS addled bear. It's smart as hell, will take you everywhere and everyone gets the hell out of its way. On the other hand, as soon as it's spooked...I'd rather not think about that. I'd rather anticipate my assassination attempt."

"Assassination?", Preston exclaimed.

His commander shrugged. "We're headed to Vault 81 on the first stop of every community outside of our settlements to engender a civilian government. The only reports of the previous attempt at a unified Commonwealth government are rumors. And those rumors state that it only failed because the Institute assassinated all the representatives.

"From the Institute side, their records hold that the only reason that meeting even happened was to come up with a war plan against the Institute.

"So this time...Remember when I stated that Institute was going to be brought in line officially? Well, I'm going to form a Commonwealth government. And I'm including the Institute as a partner. Equal to Diamond City or Bunker Hill. Not _us_ , the Minutemen."

Preston kept pace with her on the way to Vault 81.

"You really think we can pull that off?", Preston stated.

"As long as I'm not assassinated for bringing the Institute into the greater community. But for everyone that might be brought into the idea, how many people aren't going to let go of the Institute having replaced someone in the past?"


	13. Civility - 2

1

"Horatio, is that you?", Preston called out.

"Old man Garvey?", the barber replied.

Vault 81 security didn't give the two any wider a berth as they clasped the other's backs.

"How did you make it out of Quincy?", Preston exclaimed.

A small celebratory wave slid from Horatio's right hand across his shoulders to his left. "Because I'm slick and I'm slippery. Gunners can't get to me.

"What about you, old man?"

The General regarded Preston anew. "Old man?"

"Sturges mostly.", Preston replied to the other man. Then he turned to the General. "I was a rookie back at Quincy. On the other hand, Horatio here was knee high. Instead of everyone else calling me 'kid', he took to calling me 'old man'."

Turning back to Horatio he pointed out. "But I bet being an orphan got him in here. It certainly wasn't his skill with hair."

"Oh, now you've started something.", Horatio replied.

Vault 81 security drew their weapons. "He was joking.", the General explained.

"Why is it that everyone thinks that every other word is an excuse for murder?"

A guard shrugged. "The super mutant infested, ghoul wandering, wasteland on the other side of our door and the shady traders that smooth talk their way past it?"

The general sighed. "Look, where's McNamara?"

"The Overseer's in her office.", the guard informed.

"Thanks. We'll be heading there now.", the General announced.

"You'll be heading there.", Scott Edwards countered. "We aren't letting the newcomer out of our sight."

"What? Preston?", Horatio objected. "Preston's a hero, a living legend, a/"

"An outsider!", the guard finished.

"Fine.", the General stated. "Like I said: **We** will be heading to the overseer's office. Come on."

The woman strode off in that direction and Preston followed her. The guards at their sides harrumphed and followed.

2

A gentle knocking sounded from the office door. "You don't have to check in with me every time you drop off tools or fertilizer or some other supplies we need.", McNamara called out.

The General let herself in. After seeing that the Overseer was decent (as her quarters were attached to the office), she let the door slide all the way. "Actually, I want to talk about another proposal."

"Who is this?", McNamara interrupted.

The man took off his hat and held it in his hands. "Preston Garvey, ma'am. Colonel of Personnel in this General's Minutemen."

"And how did you get in here? Past security.", the Overseer interrogated.

"Well, firstly, he didn't.", the General objected. "They've been on him since he arrived. I managed to vouch for him all the way through."

McNamara sat behind her desk. The guards didn't leave.

"Why?", she asked.

"Secondly.", the General began. "I want to talk to you in a Minutemen fashion rather than as a vault dweller. And I believe Colonel Garvey will help with what I want to discuss."

"Which is...?", the Overseer asked.

The General began. "You understood that Vault 81 would need to open its door once you ran short of non-self sustainable supplies. Which in turn makes you dependant upon traders. From the outside. Which makes safe travel across the Commonwealth an issue that directly affects you. And the safeguarding of the production of those goods.

"Long story short - no matter how secluded the community of Vault 81 is, the Commonwealth matters to you. All of you."

"And since the Minutemen protect the Commonwealth, you're important to us.", the Overseer concluded. "I wouldn't have expected it from you after what you've done for us. But that's a fine shake down. How much, General?"

"No!", the woman objected. "No, no, no, no. We're here to entice you to participate in the greater Commonwealth. We aren't asking anything of you. We're hoping to benefit you _more_."

McNamara folded her arms. "Well, not participating in the Commmonwealth has done pretty good by us so far. Even when one of my predecessors tried to crack the vault, he was assassinated. Tried to join up with a group to stand against a threat he thought would eventually come for our Vault-tec technology.

"The Institute."

The Overseer waited for the shiver amongst her guests. It didn't come.

"The Institute has surrendered to the Minutemen.", Garvey informed.

McNamara did a double take. "Really. So that voice that's been playing on Diamond Ci/"

"Yes, that's me.", the General acknowledged. "The Minutemen have unchallenged operational control of the Wasteland, mitigating threats be overlooked.

"I don't like that. I'd rather there be some actual input from the people who live in the Commonwealth. And unfortunately..."

"That includes us.", the Overseer understood. "Whether I like it or not."

The Vault 111 survivor and now honorary Vault 81 resident nodded sympathetically. "I'm trying to make it as painless as possible, even though I can't make the need go away.

"Pre-war, I was a lawyer. I'm working on a Commonwealth government that will protect every ones' rights and secure them with Minutemen protection. Including from the Institute. I have a structure in mind, and a set of rules for them to agree to to keep them in line. But to get that..."

"You'll need all the communities you can get to back you on this.", Gwen understood. "A council of sorts?"

"Exactly.", the General agreed.

"Then you'll need what from us? My signing on and a representative? I can't serve as that rep full time considering my duties here.", McNamara warned.

"No, I'm not asking for all of your time.", the General conceded. "But if you could come to the initial drafting of the constitution to sign, we can get up and running. Vault 81 can pick who's council rep anyway Vault 81 decides. The Minutemen aren't here to interfere in internal affairs of communities. They just make the Commonwealth safer."

"Right, right.", the woman nodded.

"To that end, I'd like convert my room.", the General stated.

"How?", the Overseer asked.

"I'd like to turn it into a Minutemen office.", was the answer. "I'd set up a desk & communications (considering you get Diamond City Radio and Radio Freedom here). That way, we'd be able to learn about your needs and respond quicker to them.

"Maybe use a Minuteman flag for the drape over the window. You know, for auspiciousness."

"Heh", McNamara chuckled. "I can't get you another room as a resident until we clear out the other side of the vault you...discovered? Pacified?"

"That's more than fine.", the General stated. "I brought Preston in because he's the friendliest face we've got and the man you'll end up seeing the most besides me. Can you clear him past your security so he can check in the office when I'm not here?"

"Well,", Preston hesitated. "I may post a person in the office once I can find the right man for you. And he's cleared to be in town. By you."

The Overseer waved security off. "Fine. Colonel...Garvey was it?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You'll have same access to the vault that our traders get. Business only, don't question security, we find you where you're not supposed to be or with something that isn't yours and you're gone - first offense.

"And as for you.", she continued while pointing at the immigrant from Vault 111. "Understand that there's a line for doubling the vault size. Your man Garvey might be on this side of it, but don't stretch it too thin, alright?"

"So I can count on your votes in the council I'm putting together?", the General prodded.

"Sure.", the Overseer gave. "You keep the outside from storming in here, keep our traders safe and I'll campaign for what you want.

"Even if it means that I'll have to get handy with a 10 MILLIMETER PISTOL to prep for this week long hike across the wasteland."

The General assured her, "Oh, don't worry about that. I'll send someone to pick Vault 81's party and drive you to the Castle for the conference."

"Drive?", Gwen asked. "What do you mean drive? The traders said that the roads are crags of rock that their Brahmin carts can barely traverse, when they're savvy. Besides, who's building...what do you call them...autos? anymore."

The General and Preston shared a smile. "The Minutemen are...ensuring their ability to get the Commonwealth to what it should be."

3

"Niel, look alive.", a voice sounded from behind him.

The man turned and was faced with the newest Vault 81 resident. She was wearing that Colonial uniform she was fond of, despite having a fully suitable suit from Vault 111. "Um, can I help you?"

"Walk with me.", she instructed.

He followed the General...in the wrong direction. "Um, this is the door.", he pointed out.

"And now we're on the other side of it.", the General pointed out as they stepped down from the scaffolding. "And now we're on the outside.

"You stated you were looking to experience outside the vault. You were just doubting your abilities. What if I could give you the abilities to go on the greatest adventure you ever saw? And maybe, just maybe, protect the entire Commonwealth along the way.

"Would you take it? Right now. No questions asked. Or would you go back into the vault, sit at your desk and spend the rest of your days on your butt?"

Niel looked at her goggle encased eyes. She was absolutely serious in that absolutely serious way had about her. If he didn't take her up on her offer, it would be the last he'd hear of it.

"I'm in.", Niel said. "I just have to tell the Overseer/"

"If she can take Trader Rylee, she can take this. Let me ask her for forgiveness.", the General instructed.

"Alright.", Niel agreed.

"Here's a generic 10 MILLIMETER PISTOL, exactly 10 rounds of ammunition, a map and a letter.", she told him. "Get to the settlement of Covenant on your map without being killed (by sticking to the roads, being afraid of strangers and not being stupid). Give a woman named Cait the letter. Do what she says.

"Beat it."

Niel took one last look at the Vault he had called home...and honestly his whole world his entire life. For the first time, the glimmer of light from the cave exit was a glow. The man ran as fast as he could.

"General.", Preston greeted from behind her. "I see why they keep this vault sealed up from outsiders. It's not as bustling, but it's much cleaner than Diamond City...or honestly, any town I've seen."

"You've seen my room? Smelled my bed and looked through my locker?", she half joked, half flirted.

"And I see how we'll be able to fit a soldier in their to man the office you want.", he responded.

"Good man.", she acknowledged. "Let's go."


	14. Civility - 3

"Well, if it ain't everybody's favorite savior.", Hancock greeted. "Come here to take me up on that, *ahem*, offer?"

The mayor of Goodneighbor relaxed on a couch in his office. Farenheit stood by the door, eyeing Preston and smoking a cigarette in equal measure.

"I don't take _him_ up on that offer.", the General replied gesturing to Preston and got Hancock's generous laughter in response.

"So what you brings you by our quaint little town?", the ghoul prodded.

The General sat down on the couch opposite his. Then she glared at Preston who returned Farenheit's eyeballing with more bravery than malice. She gestured to the spot beside her. Preston tipped his hat to Hancock's bodyguard. "Ma'am.", he said before moving to stand behind the General.

Then the woman continued. "The Minutemen are sponsoring a communal government for the Commonwealth. I'm here to offer Goodneighbor a spot on its council."

"Huh.", Hancock assessed. "The ole leave alone and let live not good enough anymore?"

"Maybe it's because I am...was a lawyer. Before the bombs and I was frozen.", the General told him. "I just foresee a heap of problems that could easily be avoided. Like what happens when Diamond City Security catches somebody from Goodneighbor outside their walls and want to make an example of a drifter that's not as tough as a supermutant? Or assuring Bunker Hill before something jumps off so they don't panic into some raider's extortion racket - again."

"Look, you say it's a good idea and I'm inclined to believe you.", Hancock assured.

She nodded. "That's good to hear. I was hoping to be able to include you in the opening night's ceremony. The people need to hear a speech on the importance of government for the people, of the people and by the people."

The ghoul snapped his fingers. "That's the part I keep forgetting. But then again, around here, government's by me. You know what I'm saying?

"But sure, I'm in. Who else is?"

"Well you and Vault 81 so far.", the General conceded. "And the Institute."

Hancock started in his seat. Farenheit closed in on her.

"Go show Preston a tour of the town, Farenheit.", Hancock said in an uncompromising voice.

"You know my name.", the Colonel asked.

The mayor waved his hand in annoyance. "Everybody knows the last survivor of Quincy. Now skeddadle, you're keeping a pretty woman waiting."

His bodyguard still hesitated. "Boss, I don't think/"

"That's right! You don't think. You does what I tells you to.", he cut off.

The woman turned her shaking head into a nod. "Come on, Minuteman."

"And close the door behind you!", Hancock called after her.

In a moment, the mayor of Goodneighbor and the General of the Minutemen were alone in his office. There was a small silence to respect the gravity of the argument about take place.

"You want me to go in cahoots with the _Institute_.", Hancock started.

"It's not cahoots.", the General countered. "Officially, Goodneighbor would have the same representation at a full Commonwealth government as the Institute. Unofficially, I need all the votes I can get to keep them on the level."

More laughter from Hancock. "You? I've seen you do some impressive stuff. With a pistol, with a settlement and sober the entire time like sobriety's somehow fun. But you're claiming that you're keeping the Institute from doing whatever the hell it likes."

"The Institute already surrendered to the Minutemen, John.", she told him.

"Bah!"

The General pressed him. "Who do you think it was that took down the Brotherhood that was terrorizing farmers into coughing up their crops with nothing in return? Who do you think it was that stopped them from taking every piece of tech from the citizens of the Commonwealth no matter how hard pressed they are?"

"So you're saying you and your boys didn't just artillery them back to Day After?", Hancock accused.

"It was 'me and my boys'. There just weren't any Minutemen personnel on the ground.", she explained.

He continued. "So it was just the Pinocchios and their Gippeto that did all that?"

"No. That was me, being backed by an organization that _supported_ a move I made.", the General defended. "Look, I know you don't have much reason to think about trusting the Institute."

"They had a brother shooting a **thing** that was pretending to be his brother in the middle of the street in my town.", Hancock exclaimed.

"But I'm not asking you to trust the Institute. I am asking you to help me keep an eye on them to the extent that they can be.", she dropped on him.

"Really?", the mayor scoffed. "And how do you propose to do that exactly?"

"Well, had you been listening.", she went on. "The Institute needs to be brought into the light. Having them regularly meeting with representatives of the other communities will not only do that. It'll show them that they aren't the only game going. And the more communities that sign on, the more outnumbered they're going to be.

"On top of that - take your live and let attitude. Wouldn't you like their remaining secrecy be dependent on doing just that? Them having to leave Goodneighbor alone in order to be left alone. What's something the Institute has valued more than it's privacy?"

"Invading other's privacy?", the ghoul guessed.

"And they've already started pulling back their patrols.", the General admonished. "Imagine normal everyday people getting to stop looking over their shoulder for a robotic boogeyman?

"Don't you owe it to your citizens?"

The ghoul resentfully crossed his arms. "Already going for that card, I see."

The General leaned forward. "You think I'm not looking out for people in the Commonwealth?"

"Anyone else.", Hancock admitted. "Anyone else and I would've tossed 'em out on their ass. But I've seen what you do. Hell, you let me help in it. Best time I've spent in my life. Actually doing some good."

"So you'll trust me when I tell you I'm doing this for everyone's good. The little guy's good.", she prodded.

Hancock nearly snarled in frustration at the conflicting beliefs. He was certain that the Institute didn't need a seat the table, it needed a good spanking that it never seems to get. On the other hand, he _had_ traveled with the woman before him. She didn't just shoot the things that went bump in the night and demanded a few caps calling herself a hero. She made sure people were defended. Fed. Organized. He even saw the Slog, so many of the ghouls that got chased out of Diamond City that didn't go the Triggermen making a go at it - a damn fine go at it. And flying the Minuteman flag over it all.

"You look me in the eye.", Hancock settled. "You look me right in these baby reds and tell me that you're doing this for the people."

The lawyer took off her WRAPAROUND GOOGLES. "I am doing this for the people.", she said.

Hancock grumbled. "Fine.

"But I want to know every rule I'm signing up for!"

"None yet.", the General assured. "That's what the first meeting is going to be about. To hash out what those rules are. As I think you know, I was a lawyer before the war. I think I can come up with some rights that the Institute will have to agree to. But on top of that, getting enough communities voting with me..."

"Will keep them from telling us what to do.", Hancock finished.

The ghoul smirked. "How long did it take you to think this up?"

The General shrugged. "Bringing the Institute to a place where they could take Minutemen instruction was an ordeal. One that I'm not inclined to go through again. I need a way to get them to agree to leave the rest of the Commonwealth alone. And it's certainly not going to happen by shooting up Mk II synths.

"So, can I count on your speech?"

"You're damn right I'm going to tell the Institute how power ought to be used for people instead of on them."

The General smiled. "Good. Because I'm going to keep asking favors of you while treating you like dirt. By the end of this, you're going to be a broken man."

He covered his heart with both hands. "Take the shirt off my back, why don't you."

"I don't need the shirt.", she told him. "But your singer, I'm going to have to borrow her."

"Just borrow?", Hancock said with a lascivious smile.

"Yes.", the General stated. "For the opening ceremony. It's a room that I'm going to have to take on a more permanent basis."

"Well my bed's just over/"

"For a Minutemen office.", she said rolling her eyes. "You wouldn't happen to know of an old warehouse that just happened to open up in Goodneighbor recently?"

Hancock's thin lips tightened into a suspicious smile. "I happen to know of three. The tenants...gave up the lease."


	15. Civility - 4

"You want me to what?", Mayor Kessler of Bunker Hill asked incredulously.

The General started to repeat herself but was interrupted. A caravan hand jogged up to Kessler between the General and Preston and leaned in to her. "Headed out on the road with Lucas."

"When are you thinkin' on being back?", Kessler nodded.

"Well, thanks to the General making the roads safer, we were thinking of passing by the Slog on this run. So maybe a few days longer than usual.", she said.

"Be careful coming at the Slog from the east.", the Minutemen leader advised. "We haven't gotten our attention over to the Forged like we're going to."

"Couldn't happen to a better bunch of maniacs.", the caravan hand encouraged before jogging off.

Kessler looked back at the General. She just tilted her head.

With a shrug of her shoulder and in a wholly different tone of voice, "What do you want me to do?"

"I need a representative from Bunker Hill to sit on a Commonwealth government council.", the woman explained. "It's the only way I can ensure that the rights of the people are going to be respected."

"And that's not going to happen otherwise?", Kessler tested.

The General sighed. "Look. You can count on me not to decide to do what I've done to the Brotherhood of Steel, the Institute, or the raiders that were extorting you to you from the comfort of my office in the Castle. Or you can be in on the ground floor of a government that's going to guard the rights of not only your people but everyone in the Commonwealth."

Kessler glared at her. "You know, your power _is_ infuriating.

"But I can't really take time away from here. The place will fall apart without me."

"I don't want to have a council where I tell the Institute that their vote is that much more powerful because Bunker Hill isn't getting one. But I'm sure all the communities that do sign up and you barter with will understand, like Vault 81 & Goodneighbor. Or at least I hope they do, considering the twenty or so settlements that are flying the Minutemen flag exclusively.", the General 'pleaded'.

Kessler's glare nearly matched Preston's dropped jaw.

"Can I send someone else to be this 'representative'?", Kessler bargained.

"I'd like every mayor to actually be there for generating the constitution of this new government. But after that, sure. I understand that mayors need to actually run their towns. I'm expecting nearly every town to end up with a representative instead of their mayor attending every council sit."

The mayor nodded. "Good. I'll get all the caravans on the road then. That'll allow me to bring Old Man Stockton with me."

Preston began to extend his hand to shake the Mayor's with, to thank her for her decision. But he was stopped by the General. Her slightly extended tongue was lightly bit between her teeth. Behind her WRAPAROUND GOGGLES, her eyes danced in complex thought. As if she just remembered something and it meant a world of difference.

But only for a fraction of a moment. Preston considered her. The General nodded, encouraging him to move to shake the Mayor's hand again.

"Thank you for working with us.", the colonel said.

"Yes, thank you.", the General stated carefully. "Now that our patrols are becoming vehicular, the Minutemen will pick you and Old Man Stockton up for the opening ceremony."

"Ceremony?", Kessler asked.

The General nodded. "Before the day we get started in negotiations, I want people in the right mood. After all, we are putting a government that I'm leading the Institute into. That's not something to take likely. So while it might make the Castle a bit crowded, I think something to take the edge off first would be a good idea. You know, mingling among some people you don't know the faces of. Being open with everything is something we can all work on."

"Well, shoot.", the mayor exclaimed. "If you're sending something mechanized to do the hoofing, then I might actually be able to not fall behind schedule."

"We aim to please.", the General said.

She turned quickly towards the exit. "Come on Preston. We've got places to be, and more mayors to see. If we double time, we can get back to Diamond City and actually get a bed at Home Base."

The woman snapped her fingers. "Which reminds me. Is there a spot the Minutemen can set up in Bunker Hill?"

Seeing the look in Kessler's eye, she continued. "It's so we can respond to your needs faster. Just one man, listening to what you need."

"Space is tight inside Bunker Hill's walls.", the mayor countered. "It's not like we're going to turn down the caps that the beds in the in pull in. So the only place no one's set up is actually inside the monument."

"The obelisk?", the General confirmed. "Sure, we can get a desk and a Minuteman in there."

"See you at the opening ceremony, Your Honor."

A caravan hand watched the General and Preston leave from a long way away. He re-seated his SUNGLASSES before running his hand over his bald head. Taking a most don't-notice-me pace, he made his way into the main market place of the community. Certainly not to pass a signal Old Man Stockton that he was ready to meet.


	16. Civility - 5

1

"Look alive."

Preston rolled to a sitting position in the bed he had slept in. The bunks on the stairs in Home Base were the smaller ones the General was found of putting Minutemen in instead of the larger beds allotted to civilians. On the other hand, they tended to be matched up with FOOTLOCKERs to store gear in.

When his eyes cleared, he saw the General standing over him. "How long have you been up?"

"Long enough to see the Institute about another idea.", she told him. "Come on. Let's start the nightmare of Diamond City."

Preston scoffed. "You just want to take your girlfriend out to breakfast."

"Or get the Commonwealth's most influential reporter prepped to cover the drafting of its constitution.", the General stated.

2

The four sat around a table outside Dugout Inn.

"And I can order anything I want, even though I already ate the NOODLE BOWL?", Nat Wright pressured her elder.

Piper laughed. "She's not your step mother.

"In fact, she has a child of her own. You remember that, right?"

The girl looked just a tad curtailed. "Oh yeah. Sorry about that. Did you find him?"

The General swallowed the bite of MIRELURK OMELET she had been chewing. "I did, sweetie."

"Was he still the baby you were looking for? Or was it the boy that Mr. Valentine found out about?", Nat continued.

The woman took a breath. "My son. Shaun was all grown up by the time I found him. He was unfrozen a long time before I was. We...didn't have much time together."

Piper squeezed her hand. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"I have to have a reason?", the General responded. "Your smile isn't enough?"

"Well, er, I guess. If you think/"

"I actually am here on business, Piper.", the General assured.

Piper nodded. "Is it about this council thing that I'm hearing about?"

Preston stopped eating and folded his arms. "And how did you find about that already, Miss?"

Piper laughed. "Everything Blue does spreads like wildfire. The trick is separating fact from fiction. Otherwise, Publick Occurrences would end up publishing about a sea serpent instead of an honest to goodness Chinese submarine."

Preston turned to the General and scanned her uniform. It looked like he was going to ask before deciding on an answer for himself.

"It's not the MINUTEMEN GENERAL'S UNIFORM.", his commander stated. "It's because I'm a vault dweller.

"But you're right, Piper. There's a difference between having another bueracracy that a few city leaders have seen and having a government that people understands is there to protect them and their rights. Plus, I think everyone's tired of the Institute staying in the shadows. I don't want the Commonwealth's government to be another on high, mysterious organization."

"And how did you get the office fascist to sign on?", Piper inquired.

Preston looked uncomfortable. "We haven't yet. And I know Mayor McDonough hasn't exactly been disposed towards the Minutemen. Maybe you could offer some advice in that regard."

At that moment he was interrupted. The type 1 synth had just walked up to their table and started speaking. "Attention denizen of Diamond City. Please do not be alarmed. I am here to announce the presence of the Institute. That is/"

"Blue?", Piper whispered. "Can't you do something."

The General nodded tiredly. "Consider the mission a success. Return to the nearest Synth Leader. And take any other type ones wandering around with you."

"Understood, mother.", it acknowledged before mechanically walking away from them.

The reporter folder her arms. "How many children do you have?"

"I'm like Jesus, all the world are my children?", the General attempted. "The Institute woke up Shaun because they needed pre-war DNA for their mark three synths."

Piper looked incredulously to Preston. The man made _that_ face and shrugged. She turned to her sister. The child was absorbed in her second bowl of noodles. Piper rolled her eyes. "It's always something with you Blue."

"How do we make that something Mayor McDonough?", the General entertained Preston's doubts.

"He's just a blowhard politician. He wants the system in control of everything because he's in charge of the system. Take him on man to man, and he caves every time."

3

"I don't think I'm going to.", the mayor told her.

The General's glare was full of more contempt than she usually let show. It may not have made it over the desk for all the good it did. McDonough looked pleased as punch with his secretary taking notes at his side. The two Minutemen were beginning to show their annoyance.

Preston leaned forward. "You do realize Diamond City's importance. A civilian government making policy around Diamond City and without your input might step on some toes."

"So the best solution is to not have one.", the mayor stated. "That way you won't have to watch out for anyone."

"But the Institute., Preston pressed.

"Isn't a threat to anyone.", the mayor stated a little too happily. "Unlike the rumors, the synths they've sent to the city were patently obvious to anyone that looks at them. They haven't done anything harmful to anyone."

"That's only because the General has forced their surrender.", Preston assured.

McDonough shrugged. "If the mere Minutemen were enough to bring the Institute to heel, then they couldn't be anywhere as near as powerful as you're trying to make them out to be."

The mayor looked directly at the General with a politician's smile. "Isn't that what everyone wants anyway? A Commonwealth where the Institute isn't a danger to anyone. Objective accomplished."

The woman began a lawyer's smile. "But a government should represent the people. I'm sure if you check in with our friends, you'll find that Diamond City should join."

McDonough nodded. "Well, in that case, why not?", he flip flopped his position instantly.

"And while I will be the head of state to travel to the first council meet, who should I appoint as representative for future events?", he asked the General directly.

"Depends.", she started. "Who's mayor if you die in office?"

"Well, in the immediate aftermath, Geneva here would be acting mayor. But that's only until the next election.", he explained.

The General nodded. "Considering that you and Preston have some differences, perhaps you could lay out your suspicions on who would win that election?"

McDonough explained. "Well, the only ones that can really afford to run a campaign would be the upper stands residents. Ann may...er, Mrs. Codman would probably be the front runner. I suppose Malcolm Latimer could win against her."

"Then I suppose you have a lot to consider. As well as make preparations for your trip to the Castle for this event.", the General told him. "You'll be sharing your escort with the press, though."

The mayor blanched.

"We'll see if Colonel Brandis can afford two."


	17. Civility - 6

After they left Diamond City, the General put them on pace for the Castle. Preston stayed there to start preparations for what the General referred to as opening ceremonies. She took off by herself. On one hand, she was out of uniform in a custom leather jacket and jeans. On the other, she was encased in her specific X-01 Mk. VI power armor painted in Minutemen colors.

She managed to make good time despite Quincy's location to the Atom Cats' Garage. Johnny D rounded the gate first, so she held back until he patrolled past. Then she made a bee line for Rowdy.

"What it be, chickadee?", the mechanic and saleswoman greeted.

The General tried to parse what the purposefully complex slang the Atom Cats used. "I'm trying to pull the Commonwealth together in a government. I wanted to talk to Zeke about integrating you guys."

"I'm hip. As long as it's not a neo-lib put on to cop neo-con principles under a guise of progressivism." Rowdy stated.

The General regarded her anew. "It's not.

"Um. Why do you know the underpinnings of 21st century federal policy?"

"Every Atom Cat's gotta keep her claws sharp, if they want everything plus.", Rowdy replied. "Zeke's playing gin mill cowboy."

Then she returned to the part she was sanding the inside of. The General could see that Rowdy felt the conversation was over, so she obviously told her where to find Zeke. Where that was exactly was a riddle that was still a mystery to her.

She rode her armor throughout the encampment set up in a Red Rocket coolant shop looking for the Atom Cats' de facto (but never in name, Daddy O) leader. Eventually she saw Zeke sitting at Bluejay's bar. She moved to snap her fingers and the suit tried to emulate the action. "Gin mill means bar."

The remaining Atom Cats turned to see who had come into their space. A raukus of greetings came up from the group. "I see you all are still jungled up.", the General stated.

"You know your groceries.", Zeke replied. "Not just in here, but out on the concrete turf if the squares aren't giving me the business."

Bluejay nodded. "Hear the Minutemen are coming down in a storm."

The General dismounted her armor as it unfolded. "Actually, we're on the uptick and I hope it stays that way."

Everyone else present laughed out loud, if Roxxy did a little uncomfortably.

"What can we do you for, headmaster?", Zeke asked.

"Well, if you're clued in, you know about the pow-wow.", the General offered. "And I think the hippest cats in the 'Wealth are clued in."

"Look at the x-ray eyes on this one.", Duke commented. "Yeah, apparently every Mayor's been hit up for a senator."

"Senator?", the General mused. "Hm, I was thinking more like councilor but it could work.

"Why I came here was to get you guys in on the ground floor."

Bluejay stretched his arms over the bar like he was hugging it from an awkward angle. "I don't wanna get involved in any pseudo-Marxist regulation of classical capitalism disguised as a welfare state."

The honorary Atom Cat's eyes clenched. "No one's trying to tax your merchandise.

"Why is every one in need of a semester's psyche credits from a political science double major?"

"Gotta keep our claws sharp." was chorused around the room.

"I don't care how many yards you've pulled from that bar.", the General began. "I just need everyone in the Commonwealth involved, okay. You're the last community that isn't directly flying the Minutemen flag that I need to get to sign on."

"You got the Forged to the table?", Zeke exclaimed.

"Hell no.", the General stated. "The council's only going to have Vault 81, Diamond City, Goodneighbor, Bunker Hill and you guys at it. That should be enough councilors to keep the Institute's vote at the table in check.

"As soon as I can, I'm going to address the Forged with the same tone of voice I've addressed the Brotherhood of Steel."

"Bangin'", Zeke stated. "We could use that foundry to/"

"I'm sorry, Zeke.", the General stated. "Once the Minutemen secure the Saugus facility, it'll be inducted into Colonel Brandis' motorpool. Outside entities won't be allowed access for security of the Commonwealth. Of course, members of the council will be able to submit work orders. I suspect Vault 81 will put in for replacement parts for their generator even though they haven't just yet and first spot on the waiting list is still open."

Zeke nodded knowingly. "Well those Forged are a zonk on the head, anyway.

"Look, I might be able to do you a solid. It might be a gas to dip my toes in the Athenian marketplace every so often. But when I'm not there, you gotta let our girl Roxxy speak for us."

"Certainly.", the General agreed.

Zeke continued. "And I don't want to see Bob Crosby or his brother Bing around here neither, copping a bit."

The Generals eyes flickered in memory. "I think...chems are legal in the Commonwealth, so far. There's no narcs to look anyway.

"Zeke. Atom Cats. This is going to be the first council meeting. There aren't any rules in place yet. Mostly, I want to draft up a bunch of rights that everyone can agree to, honestly. The real issue is that Institute is coming into the light for the first time in a long time. I want everyone to feel comfortable with that."

"Comfortable?", Johnny D asked as he rode his power armor into the room. "With the Institute? You beat the gravel with them."

The General nodded as she got back into hers. "Yes, Johnny."

"Can the lip." Zeke backed her. "If there's a wasp in the room, I'd like to know where it is. And a dragon's a might wasp."

"C.S. Lewis.", Bluejay noted.

Johnny D closed in on Zeke and started arguing in fast pace philosophical jargon and compressed lingo. Pretty soon every Atom Cat from the entire encampment was enraptured in the debate. The General turned her suit's head from one to the other in turn.

Zeke flashed her a single wave. She took that as her cue to leave.


	18. Civility - 7

1

The General nodded. In under two weeks, there was real progress. Or at least the tugboat coming up to the wharf of the Castle represented that to her. Radio Freedom pulling double time with his CB did as well (and today he was pulling triple duty). What passed for dignitaries in the Commonwealth were arriving by the APC load backed that up. If nothing cracked, this just might work.

"Permission to come ashore, General.", Admiral Zhoa asked.

"Of course, Admiral.", she replied. The Minutemen on board, all wearing USHANKA HATS, did quick work of tying the boat off after it came in smoothly to the wharf. A gangplank descended and the ghoul switched from 'sealegs' to 'landlegs' without a hitch.

Zhoa walked up to the General and returned her salute. He quickly fell in stride beside her.

"You have that questioning glint in your eye.", the General commented.

Zhoa brushed his jacket nehru jacket out. "I am issued a Minutemen uniform. And at the first public showing, I receive instructions to dress in mainly civilian garb."

She straightened her tie of her CLEAN BLUE SUIT and smiled. "Tonight, we're holding opening ceremonies for a Continental Congress. er, Our October 1st."

"Ah.", Zhoa understood.

The general continued. "I don't want these locals to think that the Minutemen are the servants of the elite rather than the Commonwealth as a whole and all the people in it. So my command staff is going to be dressed to present in this initial impression. Don't come to enjoy it though - we'll be back in uniform like everyone else tomorrow.

"But still, I wasn't expecting you to actually show. I understand you've been burning the midnight oil to get your sailors trained."

The Admiral smiled. "I have promised a multiple mile swim to the men stationed on my Yangtze as the prize for not documenting and fixing a mistake the men promoted to sailor have made. Considering the first set of volunteers, it may take a while.

"However, I have come to ask permission not...how do you say...laud my laurels? I would like to take a permanent dock, akin to Colonel Brandis. There is a shipyard I would like to use for that purpose."

She glared at him questioningly. "Where?"

"Irish Pride Shipyards."

The general broke pace. "I've lived in the Commonwealth when all this was functioning. Including the highways, the cars and the public transportation system. I have never known that there was a shipyard."

She waved Preston over. "Have you ever heard of an Irish Pride?"

The man nodded, looking decidedly uncomfortable in a CLEAN BLACK SUIT. "Yes. After Zhoa's first ship sailed by and reported the place, a crew cleared that out on their first run with an APC. Someone was trying to raise Mirelurks as pets in there, once upon a time. But no one seemed to be there when the crew was though."

She continued to press. "And we're talking a whole shipyard. Drydock and everything?"

Garvey shrugged. "I don't know what a drydock is. But there was a big place where a ship was set on concrete that sloped down to doors that led to the river."

The General threw up her hands. "Sure. Congradulations Zhao, you have a shipyard. Have Preston get you enough men to hold down the facility and get it back to where you need it. But talk to Radio Freedom first - don't let it fall into someone else' hands before we get to it.

"Does this mean you're going to command from Irish Pride instead of the Yangtze?"

"I...think not.", Zhoa answered. "I was supposing to use an 'attache' to speak for me at the shipyard. The facility is will be capable of being run by sailors in order to repair and maintain the ships that can be recovered from the Commonwealth. My expertise will still be needed on the nuclear submarine."

"Alright.", the she acknowledged. "Just get Radio Freedom to sound the need now. You can work out the details on your own time."

The Admiral nodded. After he walked off, a feminine scream was heard. As the General ran toward the scream. And was kind of happy to note that the various Minutemen in uniform were jumpy enough to nearly point the way with their leveled IM muskets.

Her short sprint brought her to Overseer McNamara. The Vault 81 leader was staring at Admiral Zhoa in horror. Admiral Zhoa seemed to be processing her expression.

"Overseer Gwen McNamara.", the General greeted. "Allow me to introduce Admiral Zhoa, commander of the Minutemen's naval services."

"It works for you?", the vault dweller inquired hesitantly.

Zhoa's lips somehow thinned from their already irradiated state. "Were Chinese so dehumanized from the war?"

"He's agreed to help the Commonwealth recover from the disasters that have faced it.", the General stated carefully. "Some of the destruction and particularly the radiation has affected _us all_ in different ways. Zhoa's condition makes his aid all the more respect worthy."

"Oh.", the overseer agreed. "I'm sorry, Admiral. All the traders that have come to our vault have said that ghou...er, people with your conditions had no sense of being a person left."

Zhoa nodded. "That is...unfortunately true all too often. My crew has suffered more than I. Your...how did you say, vault? Protected you from this?"

As the overseer explained, the General was able to extract herself from the conversation. With one crisis averted, perhaps the ones she was expecting would be easier to solve.

2

Between APCs pulling up to the gate leading to the one road from the Castle, a lone Minuteman walked up. "Hey, I'm not late for the shin dig?"

"What are you doing out here all alone?", the gate guard questioned. "And without any combat armor?"

"That's just the thing.", the new bald Minuteman explained from behind his sunglasses. "I was coming down with my crew from Coastal Cottage but ate something that got my stomach around County Crossing. My guys went ahead of me because of the resupply. So on one hand, I gotta catch up to them. On the other, at least I get to be here for the big hullabaloo."

"And you didn't 'delay' your recovery just long enough to be here tonight?", the gate guard insinuated. The man shrugged. "Sure. Just don't step on anybody's toes. All the big wigs are here and the General is working the crowd. She doesn't need any problems."

"I'll be as quiet as a mouse at a farm in drought.", the Minuteman assured.

3

"Ronnie, you look lovely.", the General complimented.

The aging woman in her LAUNDERED DENIM DRESS (but still under her MILITARY CAP) scowled. "Lookin' ain't soldierly."

"Protecting the people is.", the General countered. "And to do that effectively, we have to coalesce. You think a Diamond City politician and a Goodneighbor rabble rouser are going to act in unison if they don't both think that there's a bigger boot stomping the block."

Colonel Shaw folded her arms. "Doesn't mean I don't understand. Just like it means I don't have to like it."

"Have you seen Mayor Hancock yet?", she asked.

"You mean Ghoul Drunk Face?", Ronnie countered. "He's breathing liquor like it was Jet. I'd even get mad if he didn't seem to prefer the moonshine to any of the pre-war vintage."

"Thanks, Colonel." The General walked away from her sulking form toward the impromptu refreshment area. She found Hancock chatting up two Minutemen women with words that were sure to offend if told in any other tone of voice other than his only joking but maybe not scratchiness.

She walked up to him. "Are you still capable of delivering/"

"Hancock's always capable of delivering.", the ghoul announced.

" _your speech_?", the General continued with a reluctant smile.

"There's two things you can count on ole John Hancock for.", he assured. "Being there for the people."

After a pause one of the women in uniform prompted, "And the other?"

"I'm sorry, the other?", Hancock said while slamming back another shot of gut rotting moonshine.

"Hancock!", the General exclaimed exasperated.

The mayor straightened up. "Don't worry, I'm only acting inebriated so one of these ladies will *ahem* take advantage of me. But I understand how important what we're doing here is. You lined 'em up, I'll knock 'em dead."


	19. Civility - 8

"Ma'am?", a Minuteman interrupted as she walked back to the CB radio setup next to the Castle's broadcast tower.

She acknowledge him with a look.

"Colonel Brandis just called in. Says he's five minutes out and to clear the dock.", the Minuteman informed.

"Well, at least he'll make the speeches.", the General mused. "Wait. The dock?"

"That's what he said, General.", the Minuteman shrugged.

The General nodded and made her way back to the wharf and had the now sailors back their ship away. Her head turned at the chopping, whirring sound of propellers. Just as she was about to take that deep, pre-combat breath, the Minuteman ran up with another message from Radio Freedom. "Colonel Brandis sent in a call for a standown."

The General raised an eyebrow over her still in place WRAPPAROUND GOGGLES. "Tell everyone not to shoot first, but stay ready."

Soon enough, a vertibird hovered over the wharf. Colonel Brandis, dressed in a TUXEDO, slid down a rope and onto the dock. He waved the vertibird away while the General just held onto her hat.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Brandis?", she demanded once the air was quiet enough to speak in.

"Making an entrance?", Brandis begged. Seeing little sympathy, he continued. "The whole point of throwing this bash was to impress the communities that aren't your settlements. You had the numbers, the base resources and I don't even know how you managed to get a celebrity with the world being a wasteland.

But weapons become symbols of military might. The laser musket is symbolic of the Minutemen, and I'm supposing that's why you made sure everyone on duty for the ceremony is armed with one of the new IMs. The type 1 synth is a symbol of the Institute, and you've communicated quite clearly that you have their backing. But what the Brotherhood of Steel imparted wasn't an impression of power armor, thanks to the Atom Cats. The vertibird, and it's air power, became symbolic of the Brotherhood of Steel. It's important that the civilians see that you can match that."

"Firstly, you spoke in a lot of 'you' and no 'we' saying that. Don't think I didn't catch that, Colonel.", the General stated.

"Secondly, a little warning would have been nice. But since I can't fathom how you came up with the time to drag in enough parts let alone got a vertibird to fly, I understand that you didn't want to sell me on the idea of a vertibird and not deliver.

"Third - what other things are you planning and haven't told me."

The old man scratched the back of his neck. "Nothing, really. The closest thing motorpool could find to another vertibird is in way worse condition and a lot more pieces than that one was. We aren't going to be able to field another one without a whole lot more man hours than we put into the one you have."

"A vertibird is an impressive piece of machinery.", Mayor McDonough complimented as he walked up. His secretary followed him.

"Considering the amount of area that the Minutemen are responsible for in the Commonwealth, we have to use sometimes unorthodox methods to monitor.", the General stated smoothly and a bit too easily. "I didn't want to make a fuss by trying to land one inside the Castle's walls while everyone's here."

"That's good thinking.", Geneva stated.

The General nodded. Then the clanking sounded. It wasn't particularly loud considering the crowd that was already present. But it did signal the last dignitary.

"Excuse me.", the General removed herself from the conversation before making her way over the gate.

"Zeke, you're going to have to get out of that.", she informed the power armor clad Atom Cat. "You too Roxxy."

"That ain't how a man struts.", he replied.

The General sighed. "The whole Castle is filled to the brim, Zeke. I barely managed a bed for the _mayors_ , my own troops are looking at starlight in bags - if the weather holds. A radiation storm comes through and I'm double booking soldiers and fusion cells in the armory.

"Look, I just had a talk with Colonel Brandis; my motorpool commander. Even he knows that the name Atom Cats is synonymous with hottest armor and mods around. No one's going to sully your reputation if you leave your rig on display here at the gate."

"Fine.", Zeke conceded. Or at least seemed to. "Just one lap, and I'll be chickadee in a tree."

The General glared at him. "Roxxy takes the lap - one. You dismount immediately, she parks her rig right next to yours right after."

Even his armor seemed to shrug.

"I'm not exactly joking here, Zeke."

"Alright.", he stopped. "Roxxy, wear it you like you mean it."

The newest Atom Cat saluted. She then proceeded to swing her arms about herself as she paced off into the crowd, calling attention to the paint job on her armor.

At least Kessler kept herself out of trouble. Then again, she didn't do anything but stand by the refreshments table writing down wish lists from the other mayors and various Minutemen for her traders.

Time to start.


	20. Civility - 9

Dr. Janet Thompson hushed her husband as she tuned the radio. Her twins were already on the couch in their suite listening with rapt attention.

"This is Radio Freedom. All's quiet, and that's how we like it."

"And this is Travis "Lonely" Miles, here to guarantee that tonight isn't quiet at all. This is the first simulcast event in the history of the Commonwealth, from both Radio Freedom and Diamond City Radio. And I'm told that it's repeating on Classical Radio without representation.

"And a night of history it is. We've got dignitaries of every community in the 'Wealth, from the Atom Cats to the big bad Institute itself, here for the opening ceremonies. Everyone's trying to get in a good mood for what comes tomorrow - hammering out the details for a coalition government.

"Radio Freedom, this rests on the backs of the Minutemen protecting the Commonwealth. How have the troopers handled it so far?"

"Minutemen stand by the General."

"And rightly so! Sources tell that everyone's favorite vault dweller has been working overtime to making Minutemen might moreso. On top of restoring artillery capacity long lost to the Minutemen, there has been a real push to reclaim tech from across the Wasteland. Why, just now, we witnessed Colonel..."

"Brandis."

"Colonel Brandis descend from a vertibird. With the army vehicles now patrolling the roads and the naval efforts of our friendly, neighborhood, Chinese submariner the Minutemen are now a force to be reckoned with on land, sea and air.

"And that isn't the only reason for the upcoming Commonwealth government. It's official folks and not just rumors and repeats from strangely friendly synths. The Institute has officially surrendered to the Minutemen. They've agreed to be a community on par with any other. Radio Freedom, how was that accomplished?"

"The General may cover that in her speech tonight. I'm not exactly privy to the details."

"Come on, man. Give the audience something!"

"Hm. Colonel Preston has stated that a lot of what the General has been doing was in search of her lost son. I do know that the Institute was involved in that."

"Everyone that reads Publick Occurences knows that much. You...

"Alright, this is it everyone. Dignitaries and Minutemen alike are in rapt attention. And I'm sure you folks out there in the post-apocalypse are too. Entering now is the General of the Minutemen, 'Juris Doctor', and our favorite vault dweller, Mrs./"

*applause drowns out Travis*

"Please. Please.

"Citizens of the Commonwealth of Massachussets, those of you representing your communities here, and the folks listening on the radio they could find after another hard day's work surviving. I want to personally thank you for the opportunity you've given me. As General of the Minutemen, I've had the ability to see exactly how grand a people we are. Every farmer pulling food out of a harsh ground. Every shopkeeper struggling to keep a trade, an art alive. Every Minuteman - and woman - sacrificing to keep a line between the everyday citizen and the dangers that surround them.

"For all the...the legends...surrounding the time I left, I still would like to thank each and every one of you for the opportunity to have helped in your struggle. Thanks to your help, I've managed to coordinate over a full score of settlements across the Commonwealth. I've managed to open new trade paths, or so the Slog based TARBERRY jam that I've seen people experimenting with tells me.

*a few laughs*

"And there have been harder won victories. The Brotherhood of Steel is no longer stripping farms and traders bare.

*a smattering of half-felt applause*

"The Institute is becoming an open member of the greater Commonwealth community, just as responsible to her as any other.

*better felt applause*

"And I have the privilege of announcing tonight: The criminal gang, once known as the Rust Devils has been destroyed. Their previous base of operations, under Fort Hagen Satellite Array, has been fully pacified. Another threat to _our_ great Commonwealth has been extinguished.

*an actual full round of applause*

"And that is why I have faith. I have faith that just as the scavver and the trader work together, we all can. And that when we say Vault 81 and the Atom Cats are in the Commonwealth, that means something."

"Woo! Atom Cats! Me-OW!"

"And thanks for that Roxxy."

"Travis Miles here, that was Roxxy - representative from the Atom Cats."

"But seriously. I could tell you that we have a challenge. And everyone that was ever in the 'Wealth that backed down from a challenge is already dead. But I'm not. I'm here to tell you that we have a real opportunity here. We have a chance. I came from a world where all of this was connected. The highways that dot the landscape brought us together. We had way more communication that just the few radio stations. We were a society. And we can be again.

"All we have to do is choose it. Want it. A world where ships travel the rivers instead of simply being sunk in them. A world where there's people to call upon.

"And to that end, I am doing my best to establish Minutemen offices in every community. No longer will it be just a question of luck if the Minutemen are there to help. If the mayors of the Commonwealth can help me achieve it, the Minutemen will be more responsive than ever. More responsible to you than ever. And finally live up to the minute time readiness of the Minutemen of yore."

*a cheer so voiced that it would be nearly impossible to tell that it wasn't joined in by the representatives of Bunker Hill and Diamond City*

"And we have a chance for Goodneighbor to live up to the name, by being the neighbor that the Commonwealth deserves. We have an opportunity for comradarie and fairness to shine from the emerald of the wastes, Diamond City. We have an opportunity for all the reclusive communities to see that we have more to benefit from by standing together rather than hiding from each other.

"To this end, I am proud to host the negotiations that will create a common government for all of the Commonwealth. Some of you already know that I was a lawyer, an expert in the government of the world that was, back before. I am happy that even the Institute has seen the value in my lending my skills in ensuring that there is a system in place for the Minutemen to ensure everyone's rights across the land. From the most humble doctor in any settlement, knee deep in the suffering of others, to the loftiest upper stands resident: everyone in the Commonwealth will be ensured the aid of the Minutemen."

*another round of applause*

"So again, I thank you for the opportunity to help in ensuring the future of mankind."

*a snap of the fingers, as if a person had nearly forgotten something"

"One last thing. Minutemen, please take that man right there into custody."

*a few warning shot laser blasts and the sound of a scuffle before Travis comes back on the radio*

"Travis 'Lonely' Miles here. A Minuteman has just been...been...arrested, for lack of a better word - by the Minutemen! And on order of the General. It's not even chaos or pandemonium. It's like the entirety of the force was ready for this order that caught us, or at least me, by total and complete surprise. Radio Freedom - how could even the legendary Minutemen be ready to move with such speed and...and precision?"

"Well, the General has been hinting that she might be the subject of an assassination attempt. While she's right that the Institute must be brought into the greater community, she had warned that there were some who may want to stop her from bringing them into the light and want nothing of the future besides revenge. And considering that even I had never seen that bald man and the fact that the General's got most of us wearing goggles of one form or another instead of sunglasses, I guess a lot of the Minutemen were on edge and ready to pounce.

"But that could also be said of the mayors and those that came with them. This opening ceremony was intended to put them at ease."

"At ease is the last thing that I would describe them with now. Granted, it could have been a lot worse. All the visitors are still in their chairs. Colonel Preston Garvey seems to be answering their questions face to face, assuring them that everything is alright. The General herself has gone off with the man and the guards that have taken him into custody. Piper Wright is being directed back to the main stage.

"And despite the surprise, it does seem that things are back to how they should be. Everyone's back in their seats in the audience. All four Colonels of the Minutemen are back on stage. And it looks like we might be ready for the next speaker."

Julia turned to her parents. "Did someone really try to kill Mother?"

Enrico ruffled his daughter's head. "Something tells me that the Director has it well in hand. Even if someone actually did."


	21. Build Up - 11

Author's Note: I'm going to have to agree **Absolute Configuration**. Where are the reviews? On the one hand, if I get no reviews I can't improve. On the other hand, if I'm writing for one (or three) people then I should just send them a private message telling them the ending instead of typing out the hundred or so chapters to come that I have in mind.

Sorry if that seems a bit snappish.

STORY

The General pulled at the gag out of his mouth. The man, dressed as a Minuteman, was bound to a chair. In her office. Surrounded by Minutemen guards. In armor. With Institute make, Minutemen model mark one laser rifles. And other weapons. And a type 2 synth. Because why not?

She paused a moment. "Are you absolutely sure he can't get loose?", she asked one of the actual Minutemen.

"My brother used to use this on me when we were boys.", he replied. "We lost more good rope that way. On account of our pop had to cut me out after a night of trying to figure out how to untie it. And he wasn't tied up in it."

The General nodded. "Alright, then. Dismissed."

The Minutemen nodded in agreement. Then realized what she had ordered. "Wait a min/"

"You heard me.", she cut off. "Everybody out. You see the synth? He's halfway out the door.

"Now guard the door and storm in here if you hear a struggle. Don't be stupid. But the conference still needs security. I might not be the only target."

The surrounding soldiers nodded in more understanding. They shuffled out of the office slowly, giving the prisoner a few suspicious glares on the way out. "You want the door closed, ma'am?"

"Yes.", she replied. "Oh, and calm down anyone that's upset after 'the excitement'. Assure them that we have everything in hand."

Once the room was empty, she ungagged the man. "Now, Deacon. If you wanted an invitation, I just needed a forwarding address."

For once, Deacon had nothing to say. Well, for a moment.

"You know what, just kill me.", he replied.

The General sat down on the table in front of him. "Why in the world would I do that? Especially after all the work I went through to not kill you the first time."

"You stormed into the Railroad's headquarters after you gained our trust!", Deacon fumed. "You shot up everything in the Old North Church."

"You know that isn't true.", the General countered. "P.A.M. shouldn't have a scratch on her from me."

Deacon spat, "Oh, pardon me! I should have said 'everyone'."

"You really don't get it, do you?", his captor asked. "And you're supposed to be the best liar in an espionage agency."

The General pulled an object from her pocket. "What's this?"

"What does it matter?", Deacon asked.

"Just answer the damn question for once, Deacon."

He sighed. "It's a STIMPACK."

"Exactly!", the General declared. "Healing wounds instantly in a single syringe. Even before the war, we could heal minor wounds pretty quickly and the war itself drove that chemistry and technology to the point that even now, in the wasteland, STIM PACKs can be made en masse. And in the headquarters of an underground, espionage group at war with super scientists there were how many of these? Dozens? Scores?"

Deacon frowned and his eye began to twitch. "Hundreds."

"Exactly!", she continued. "You've seen what I can do with a pistol. What _I_ can do to a pistol."

The general opened her coat. "If I was going to kill a person...make sure they were dead...Kellog levels of dead, what do you think I would use?"

"I understand what you've done to the three friends at your waist.", the spy conceded.

"And yet, what did I use in my - how did you say - 'storming' of HQ?", she prodded.

"A basic LASER PISTOL.", Deacon answered.

"A basic LASER PISTOL.", she repeated. "Not even something with a bullet for penetration. And none of the nastier plasma or guass either. If we had phasers, you would have been hit with stun.

"How much danger do you think I took upon myself not using a heavier weapon? Considering that Glory totes a MINIGUN? One that could actually take a ballistic weave protected Heavy down without the chaos that went down that day?"

Deacon nodded absently, thinking.

"And you were all surrounded by these pretty little STIM PACKs, right there in your HQ?"

Deacon still made connections.

"Let me ask you this.", she cemented. "What happened to safe house Kingsport Lighthouse? What happened to Ticonderoga?"

His head came up to meet her gaze from behind his sunglasses. "Nothing."

"If I wanted you dead and I made it out alive, why did nothing happen to either? Why didn't something happen there simultaneously?"

"It would take other people acting with you to hit different places at the same time.", Deacon pointed out. "And to guarantee success, you'd have to hit those other places too. Otherwise, they'd be evacuated like the Switchboard. The only way they weren't hit would be if you were working alone.

"And not with the Institute? But that doesn't make sense: you're obviously allied with them now.

"But we made it out. And it was because Glory was still mobile after getting hit with that piss poor laser you were using. She managed to stim us back on our feet. Even Tinker Tom. Which you seem to have expected...even though you didn't stick around for that."

He milled it over in his mind.

"If the Institute was testing your loyalty to other factions...

"You genuinely hit the Brotherhood of Steel. Hard. That P.I. Valentine confirmed that. But then again, you hated them from the start - or at least acted like it. You spent all that time building up the Minutemen because you were planning on stuffing it down the throat of whoever kidnapped your son and shot your husband. And then they came to take over and push the Minutemen to the side. Called Minutemen 'civilians'.

"But the Institute took your son. And we were already at odds with the Brotherhood because of their genocidal policies toward synths.

"It still doesn't add up."

The General nodded. "How about another piece of the puzzle? By the time I got to him, my son had grown up without me. Into the head of the Institute."

"And that was your motivation for all of it.", Deacon explained. "So when he was Institute, you sided with him. Betraying all of us."

And then he realized. "You had already served alongside Institute enemies by working with us. To be with him, you had to prove your loyalty. So he asked you to ice us. You were the only one that had actionable intel on us. You could have just teleported synth strike teams into every where you knew us to be.

"But you didn't. You hit us...injured a lot of people but didn't actually take anyone out. And anyone else wouldn't have survived a stunt like that.

"The Institute didn't know about Ticonderoga, did they?"

"They still don't.", the General assured.

"So you hit us to be able to tell the people who make sentient artificial people that you did.", Deacon assessed. "And let me guess, the entire Institute thinks the entire Railroad is dead."

"If you change 'dead' to 'dead enough'.", she told. "It was the only way to maintain the Railroad without bringing the full force of the Institute down on you. And let me tell you: you can't take that fight. If you didn't realize that after the Switchboard.

"So I had to ensure that you survived while having good reason not to believe that you did. A few weaker laser shots later, and here we are. The hard part was preparing for you to be stupid."

"Stupid?", Deacon asked.

"Well not you in particular.", she explained. "Even though it turned out to be you as well. I thought between your propensity to lie, Tinker Tom's conspiracy theories and Desdemona's paranoia that someone would figure out what I was up to. I was mostly expecting a hidden message to have made its way into this very office by now, attempting to coordinate.

"When I didn't get that, I had to assume that the worst would happen. That you would...well, try something like this. So I prepped the Minutemen to expect your assassination attempt. But because I can't trust that they won't leak things amongst themselves and the Institute would catch wind of it early, I had to misdirect them as to why. They think that they're protecting the new Commonwealth government: that my assassination would cancel that, so a lot of random Institute haters would try to take me out. It's close enough to the truth to keep from accidentally slipping up.

"When Mayor Kessler of Bunker Hill told me she was going to nominate Old Man Stockton as her representative, I had an idea. I worked with him to save H2-22. Or as much as someone can be saved with their memories erased. So I made sure to tell her exactly when there would be an open shot at me. Sure, there would be others. But by telling her I was ensuring that whoever Desdemona sent wouldn't get tipped off in the same way that they would if I told Stockton directly. And I was able to make sure nothing actually happened by placing my men on a state of alert ahead of time.

"After that, all that was left was to pick out the Railroad assassin from the crowd. I should have known it would be you. Glory and Hightower can't mix in quite like you, can they?

"It nearly went awry at the Atom Cats, though. If I wasn't in superior power armor, I'm sure Johnny D would have jumped the gun, wouldn't he?"

Deacon just gazed at the General astounded.

"Now that that's settled.", she continued. "How about I offer you everything you've ever wanted?"


	22. Build Up - 12

Author's Notes: *snarkily* That's slightly better.

1

"You're not actually going to destroy the Institute from the inside out.", Deacon disbelieved.

"Oh, God no!", the General agreed. "But fortunately for me, that's not what you want."

The man scoffed. "Could have fooled me."

"Seems you have.", the woman assessed. "You may have started lying to the point where you managed to pull the wool over your own eyes.

"The Railroad's objective has never been to destroy the Institute. It can't be. If you want to free synths because they're living people, how could destroying their makings be a service in that?

"You already told me what you actually want. Remember? You want to free mark three synths. And to help the Commonwealth in general, but _your_ organization's too small for that.

"Well, guess what. Mine isn't."

Deacon jaw dropped. When it shut he said "You think you can loosen the bindings now?"

Bullseye shook her head. "If it was just me, sure. But one of my points is that it's not. So, I'm going to have to leave your bindings exactly how my men will remember them.

"But on with what I was saying. A few days ago, I caught up with the head of Robotics - the people that make the Synths. Turns out he thinks there's evidence that Synths had REM sleep."

"So?", Deacon prodded. "What's that?"

"Oh, right. No PBS television. Rapid Eye Movement is a physical symptom of dreaming. Your eye muscles are generally unconsciously guided to where your brain anticipates seeing things even in its dreams, so while you're unconscious and not using your eyes they remain still...until a dream occurs. And since a dream can last way longer than how we perceive real time due to not checking in with all the timers in our brain, you have eyes darting back and forth way faster than we usually do while awake.

"Because the synths had exhibited REM, he thought that their brains were processing during their physical regen cycles. I asked him why he thought synths that could dream weren't 'alive', you know...'aware'. Apparently, when the Institute solved the p-zombie problem."

Deacon rolled his eyes. "Another thing I don't know because I didn't get a pre-war education."

"No.", the General lamented. "I've had semesters of philosophy and didn't know what that was either.

"Pretty much it's the question that a Turing test won't answer. The question is how can you tell the difference between an aware being and one that isn't but that acts identically.

"You see, sentry guns and robots and even my own PIP BOY are all 'just' computers. They are varying arrangement of circuits, that need to eliminate noise...um, accidental charge and electrical currents, to act how they are intended. But us, biological people, are different. Our brains are biochemical, grown of nerves that respond to a bunch of different compounds that get generated between synapses. But since they are chemicals, that means we're going to act slightly differently due to how each and every molecule behaves. Different amounts get picked up by nuerons by a few number of atoms and wa-la: unpredictable, inspired behavior. Which is triggered by its individual atoms. And then the subatomic particles and so on.

"But it turns out that at the very bottom of the scale, particles are more 'probability' than 'stuff'. So it's better mathematically modeled as information itself. And since Hysenberg's Uncertainty Principle says you can't actually tell where any of that is going when you can tell where it already is/"

"You know what?", Deacon interrupted. "Just stop. You're saying that human's bio-chemical brains 'think' because quantum mechanics means stuff is really information? And that synth brains 'don't' because they aren't vulnerable to single molecule movement but threshold voltage differences?"

The woman smiled mischieviously. "I was getting to that. 3rd gen synths have mostly bio-chemical functional units. Image recognition, concept to speech assemblers, and the like. But they still use synth components to combine the various pieces of what would be several different species' partial brains, image interpretation is done like a bird's but the actual recognition is done by a separate component modeled after cephlapods... Anyway: the individual parts are only functional - they can't be aware any more than an ant's antennae could conceive of what it means to be an ant. The synth components sum up all the input and predictably calculate output. Wa la - no synths that can think and humans that can.

"So when I asked him how he could prove this, he pointed out a Turning test. A Turning test was proposed as a test where a sufficiently advanced artificial intelligence could present itself as a person to a person. Since the synths are just machines and people are people, the same thing applies. And because synths only composite perceptions rather than think, they'd still predictably fail as their behavior is predictably mechanical. Despite having the same biochemical structures that allow them to record human memories, like Nick Valentine or those helped at the Memory Den.

"At that point I asked him to create a Turning test for me. And that's where the Railroad comes in. If I were to set up a test taking day at the Institute, all the synths would fail. I can't trust the Institute with doing that fairly. On the other hand, if I were to have an outside ringer..."

Deacon finished, "then you'd have proof positive that the Institute would have to accept by it's own standard. And when the rest of the synths were tested afterwards, the Institute would actually be fair about the process and free everyone.

"So you need Glory."

"Or someone else you saved.", Bullseye acknowledged. "Either way, I need at least one _actually_ sentient synth that _wants_ to be proven human to pass this Turning test. And I need the Institute to be actually fair about it, so I'm going to have to mix in several real people to take the test. That way there can't be a declaration that every participant failed. And because those real people will not be taken from the Institute, they can't just load up the questions with super-science that only they know and no one's ever programmed...or told any synth. On the other hand, you can trust the Institute to bounce this test off of their most creative Coursers in order to 'proof' it.

"So I'm going to 'question' you, Deacon. You're going to tell me that I was completely successful in termination the Railroad's leadership: anyone that survived the Switchboard did not survive Old North Church. After that, an upstart by the call sign Desdemona reorganized everyone who was left at a safe house that isn't Ticonderoga and started recruiting less competent but equally idealistic people such as Tinker Tom and yourself.

"And me, in my infinite wisdom, will decide to let you go to carry a message to this brand new, self-appointed leader you call Desdemona. If she can offer a few escaped synths (mixed in with some human personnel so I can't tell which is which) and allow the Institute to test them along with Minutemen personnel mixed in to further sully the results, I will offer Minutemen protection to all who partake. After the test shows that synths are capable of real thought, the Institute will stop producing synths as mere tools and free everyone who is actually 'alive'."

Deacon encouraged. "I like it. Once the Institute frees the synths, everyone in the Railroad can finally take a break. There won't be a point to it anymore."

And with that Bullseye slid off the table. She moved behind Deacon and bent at the knee to hiss in his ear.

"You misunderstand.", she said. "I want mine."

And at this, the man gulped. Not when a dozen different soldiers were pointing laser muskets at him. Not in a countless missions hiding in plain sight. This.

"You wanted to the help the Commonwealth, remember?", the General reminded. "The Railroad is too unique a resource to let vanish into the night. You've built an espionage network that has evaded and infiltrated against the best science has to offer: molecular relays, synths, self-contained biodomes... I give you your mission, your purpose... I get every sentient person the Commonwealth the freedom to contribute to that Commonwealth how they see fit? Then you belong to me."

"What?", Deacon sought.

"I need information. The world no longer has mass media and instant communication. And it certainly isn't the one I grew up in. I need to anticipate and I can't do that if I don't know what to look for.", the General admitted.

"The Minutemen currently get their intel by hearing from volunteering settlers. It's lackadaisical. The Railroad on the other hand. A well oiled espionage will do the Minutemen well in their mission to protect the Commonwealth. I'll make informed command choices. One hand washes the other - and clean hands make for good operations."

Deacon squinted out the corner of his eye at Bullseye. "We're not going to be your secret police."

"Of course not.", the General dismissed. "Police enforce. I don't see when I'd authorize the intelligence branch of the Minutemen to act against the citizenry of the Commonwealth. In fact, I've already taken the liberty to draw up proposals for tomorrow's government negotiations and self-policing is a guarantee I'm putting on the table to the cities of the Commonwealth.

"Your organization will be taken in, all above board and accountable. I expect Desdemona will look quite fetching in the COLONIAL DUSTER, her new uniform as one of my colonels. Not quite a publicly visible one as say, Preston or Brandis. But just as accountable and integrated."

The woman stood up and move in front of him. "So...are you ready for my guards to throw you out the main gate?"

Deacon's eyes glazed over as he thought. And then after a long moment, "You know what? We need to go over this one more time. Because I'm going to have to sell this to Des. And if Tinker Tom doesn't back the science you told me just because I don't have a good grasp on it, we're screwed."


	23. Civility - 10

Whitechapel Charlie increased the volume on his speakers. "Alright, you louts! Settle down now. The right honorable's 'bout to speak his piece."

The drifters and Watchmen and...well, riff-raff really, that attended the third rail grudgingly settled down. After all, their mayor was the only one scheduled for a radio appearance during the opening ceremonies.

"Back with you after the excitement is me, Travis 'Lonely' Miles of Diamond City Radio. Bringing you the night's festivities with me is Radio Freedom, Minuteman Radio."

"Hello."

"And strutting to the state now is Mayor John Hancock of Goodneighbor. Not a city with the most savory reputation but hard to deny is one of the largest communities in the Commonwealth. The expressions of the representatives from Diamond City are backing that as hard as polite society will allow. On the other hand, the Institute's representative has been hidden behind a CLEAN ROOM SUIT and a gaggle of synths from the start, so who knows what their reaction is. And now Hancock has stopped preening and is about to begin."

"Look at everybody that came out. We actually might make a go of it.

"And we need to. There's a lot of people relying on us to make good.

"Because there's a simple concept that I think a lot of us have forgotten. And that's driven a lot of people into the ground. Whether it's the Institute playing the boogeyman on everyone else or Diamond City chasing everyone up to the Slog. Any government has to be 'For the people, of the people'."

The entire bar raised their glasses. "Huzzah!"

The radio continued.

"Let me hear you say it: 'For the people, of the people'."

*a murmuring that may have been those words*

"Because there is only the people. Without them, there's no city. No town. No nothin'. And if you think you can set yourself up as 'in charge' and not be looking out for them, you're only looking out for yourself. No better than a common raider. And when you press down, the people are going to be there to rise up and press right back. And you don't want to find out the hard way. I know my *ahem* predecessor didn't like it - at all.

"But fortunately for the people, we're here to make a government that speaks up for them. The people are gonna have their rights defended. The people are gonna have people speakin' for them.

"Like this one drifter who walked into the mayor's office in Goodneighbor. The Watchmen are ready to drill him. My bodyguard's looking at him like he's lunch. But I says not to touch him. You know why? He's the people. He's the reason there's government at all. Doesn't matter if he's got a cap to his name or if he moisturizes. He's one of us - the people. Same voice as anyone of us right here.

"And thanks to the General, I get to go back to Goodneighbor and look him in the eye. Diamond City and the big bad Institute itself sat right down with me and said: you go the right to walk down the street without lookin' over your shoulder. Vault 81 came up out of their hole and said: you and me, we got a right to a home. Atom Cats came to say you got a right to strut your stuff. And can't nobody take that away.

"So lets hear it. For the people!"

*and the crowd answered back*

"Of the people!"

*and the crowd answered back*

"Now I gots a real treat for the people tonight. Some said they didn't think they'd live to see the day. Some said they'd die if it happened. Well, I'm callin' their bluff.

"Because right behind me. I got the show stopper herself."

"Travis here. I didn't believe it. I heard the rumors from my sources, but I didn't believe it!"

"Magnolia, please come to the stage!"

*applause breaks out*

"The crowd is wild. Even Radio Freedom has some color in his cheeks."

"Well..., Ms. Magnolia lives up to the legend, it appears."

"And a legend matching appearance it is. Strolling right out from the wall of the Castle in a shimmering RED DRESS like something out of classical mythology. The crowd is deafening. Even the Institute's _synths_ are clapping. Folks at home, on the range, or wherever you are tonight: there seems to be one thing we can all agree on. And that's/"

"I'm sorry, gentlemen. But something tells me that they want to hear a song, so pardon me while I take the signal - will you? Radio Freedom and Travis 'Lonely' Miles everybody. Don't know what they call him 'Lonely' - he doesn't have a face for radio, if you know what I mean. Now let's see if I can get everyone in a mood. To cooperate, if you couldn't tell."


	24. Time Off ?

Piper managed to spot the General coming through the crowd. Fortunately for the reporter (and publisher, advocate, and all the other duties of running the Publick Occurences), she was coming right towards her.

"Finally.", the General assessed. "I can actually try to enjoy this shindig I managed to make."

"What happened with the soldier? Man?", Piper inquired. "Assassin?"

The General scoffed. "Piper. I came from a world where the weeks had ends - two days to sit back with your family or a date and just enjoy being alive. Can I get one night after a million with a pretty face before returning to the role of Minuteman leader, Institute heeler and general all around savior?

"Come on. Let's get a drink before Hancock empties us out."

"General!", Miles called out from the radio tower in the center of the Castle's courtyard.

The General took a deep breath. "Apparently not."

She turned. "Yes, Travis?"

The radio host stayed where he was and frantically waved for her to come to him.

And then it clicked in her head. "He's got about ten feet of wire to his name, doesn't he?"

Piper nodded. "And he collected most of it when he apprenticed under the last host of Diamond City Radio. Tells me they used to have to lean over the desk to get to an embedded microphone."

The General took her arm and led her over to Travis...or simply didn't want to give her the opportunity to wander away.

"The people would love a direct word from the General of the Minutemen, ma'am. And I have about three and half minutes before my system automatically returns to normal operation instead of the simulcast back in Diamond City.", he informed.

"Really?", the General stalled. "And you're getting back how?"

"The way everybody does, I figured.", Travis stated. "Wait for day and hike back. Try to avoid trouble if I can."

"Those days are done. None of this 'hazardous travel' on my watch.", the General commanded. "Radio Freedom, what's the patrol schedule look like for a unit in the area?"

"We have two APCs that'll be hitting before midnight.", the other radio host told her. "After that, if all's quiet we're probably looking at 4 more before sunrise."

"Is it all quiet now?", the General continued. "Are any of them diverted toward a crisis?"

"No, ma'am. Only trouble is some raiders up by Tenpines Bluff. But we already have three converging on that thanks to the APCs."

The General nodded. "Good. Travis, get packed up and see if you can catch a ride back to Diamond City. Or at least thereabouts."

"But the people want to hear!", he objected.

"Fine, do we have a minute left?", she asked as if not knowing.

"Sure do."

"Set the mic hot.", she instructed.

"Hey, everybody out there, where ever you may be. This is Travis 'Lonely' Miles and here with me is everyone's favorite vault dweller - the General of the Minutemen herself. Anything you want to tell the people of the Commonwealth?", he asked into the microphone.

"Certainly.", the General agreed pleasantly. "I want everyone in the 'wealth to know that nothing that's happening here is going to keep the Minutemen from providing the level of service and aid that is needed, nor any less than we demand from ourselves. Whatever government the communities decide on, I promise that we will still be looking out for everyone."

"There you have it folks. Straight from the woman herself. And that's all the time I have. I want to thank the General, the Minutemen and Radio Freedom in particular for this historic opportunity. For in depth analysis from the conference itself, check out the next edition of Publick Occurences available in Diamond City's marketplace. Good luck surviving out there. Signing off, Travis 'Lonely' Miles."

The General led Piper away and toward the busiest area: where everyone was listening to Magnolia's rare performance someplace other than the Third Rail.

Preston came up to her. "Ma'am.", he greeted Piper.

"Colonel." Piper replied sarcastically, giving a curtsy with her red leather coat.

Preston pursed his lips but didn't make anything of it. "General, would you care for a dance?"

She considered and ended up patting Piper on the arm. "Can you get us something to drink? I'll be back soon enough.

"Now Preston: you'll have to have a strong lead. The last time I had the opportunity to dance was two centuries ago and I'm sure everything I know would have me looking silly."

"You?", Preston replied. "You might be the least silly person I know."

After a smooth lindy hop in the dirt of the Castle's courtyard to the tune of "It's Good to be a Good Neighbor", Piper had returned. "Go try with Kessler, Preston. If you can make it that far. After that dance and my showing it's okay to fraternize between ranks some other girl is going to snag you."

"Right away, babe."

"And don't call me 'babe'.", the General admonished.

She accepted a glass of...well, isn't that something. It was actually still wine and not the vinegar she was expecting. The General set her wrists on Piper's shoulders and swayed lightly to the beat of the next song while letting the empty DRINKING GLASS dangle from her fingers.

"So...um, you and Preston, huh?", Piper asked nervously.

"No.", the General sighed. "No Preston and I."

Piper hoped but tried to not let it into her voice. "Why not? He's certainly handsome. I thought that would appeal to woman with a son."

"It does.", she replied honestly. "He's loyal and true and spirited. And I would want to, even if I am his commanding officer. But I haven't really been able to bring myself to do that to my husband just yet.

"Or at least, that's how it feels to me."

"But me?", Piper objected.

The General lowered her eyelids. "Something tells me he wouldn't object to you and me at all."

Piper opened her mouth to speak but nothing came to mind.

"What do you say I use the privilege of command to snag a full bottle and we go back to my office here?", the General flirted. "We can play dress up. I have a SEQUIN DRESS that I would love to see you squeeze into."

Piper looked down. "o k"

As the General led the reporter off, she planted an idea. "Do you know how many caps it would take to make copies of your paper so my settlement's provisioners could bring them to my settlers?"


	25. Civility - 11

1

"Never mind me.", Piper instructed. "I'm just here for history's sake."

The woman (?) in the clean room suit nodded. She continued into the room along with her entourage.

"You can leave the level 2s outside.", the General ordered.

The Institute representative pointed at Hancock's bodyguard Fahrenheit and then McDonough's assistant Geneva.

She nodded. "Fine, you can keep a drone. Singular."

The clean suit turned to the synths escorting her. They looked to themselves and all but one left the room.

"Now come sit at my right.", the General finished.

The Minutemen had managed to fit another table flush against the one she was using. Hancock sat on her left with Fahrenheit leaning against a chair behind him. The Institute representative mirrored this with a Mark 2 synth standing behind her. Along the interior side sat Roxxy with Zeke behind her whispering into her ear constantly and her nodding her head in quick short bursts. Overseer McNamara sat farther away down the table than the Atom Cats and was feeling a bit alone without anyone behind her. Across from them on the door side was Mayor Kessler and Old Man Stockton, elbows on the table attempting to signal that they were here for the biggest piece they could get. Opposite of the General was Diamond City's Mayor McDonough and his assistant Geneva.

"Enough of the ritual.", Hancock declared. "Now we can get down to business."

The General gently put her hand on his leg under the table. "Remember when I told you that I you'd be a broken man after all of this? Here comes another crack.

"Everyone. I want everyone here to accept that the Institute has surrendered to the Minutemen. Institute external operations are under my direct control. In interest of that, I want to do something that will help show that Institute has changed its ways. In order to do so, you must all promise to accept this in stride. It won't cost any of you anything. And it's perfectly safe. Just make sure the table is still meeting after I do."

The people in the room looked amongst each other and slowly nodded.

"Alright then.", the General resigned. "M7-62, deactivation code alpha purple delta three three."

Mayor McDonough immediately stood and then slumped in place. The mood exploded.

"That...that was a robot?", McNamara exclaimed. "But he looked real!"

Geneva wouldn't stop screaming. Not in the way Piper was, a repeating chant of "I knew it! I knew he was up to something. I knew it! I just knew it!"

Kessler was already standing and pointing her finger at the General and the Institute rep. "What the hell are you two trying to pull? You can just hypnotize a person and then they're a synth? Is that's what you plan to do to us?"

Roxxy spun in her chair to Zeke. The two were quietly but very quickly suggesting alphanumeric deactivation codes to each other.

The clean room suit lent its impassivity in an already cool, calm and collected composure.

It's the mayor of Goodneighbor who concerned the General. He reminded everyone (and informed McNamara) how devastatingly strong a ghoul could be when he slammed his fist into the table. He was the only delegate to storm from the room.

"Get that thing out of here.", the General ordered the Institute representative. Then she rushed after Hancock.

2

"I told you.", she reminded.

"You told me spit.", Hancock whirled on her. Which was a small victory, as he wasn't going to tear into the surrounding Minutemen guarding the conference.

"I said I would leave you a broken man.", the General stated.

"I thought you were underselling yourself.", Hancock countered. "That you felt you couldn't contain the wilderness that the Commonwealth is. I trusted you to do that. Not this."

"This?", she responded. "This is me losing one of the most influential politicians of that Commonwealth. Your shock at seeing your brother revealed as a ruse has disrupted _everything_. The mood of the delegates that need to cooperate with each other, sometimes people they hate, to make this work. The expectation of us to stand together.

"Now every single person in that room is thinking about what they can get away with. McNamara putting her head in the ground again. Geneva is not having Diamond City looking for leadership and finding you, just panicking. And who knows what the Institute thinks it can get away with? What are they going to get away with the next time a person is revealed to be a synth?

"Or should I have hid this from you.", the General continued. "Do you want me to start being that person? The liar and manipulator is what you want me to be? I'm not planning on doing this by nesting lies within lies, Hancock."

The ghoul folded his arms on themselves and struggled mightily to keep his anger focused on her.

"For the people.", she finalized. "The people struggling to survive out there don't need us falling to our own whims. They need you. If you can't use Goodneighbor's standing for yourself, do it for the people."

The mayor turned his back on her. But he sighed. "All these years...and I was mad at him for the wrong reasons."

She put her hand on his shoulder. "We need you Hancock. We can't fracture the Commonwealth and put these people at each others' throats again. It's going to be somebody else' brother, some other down and out group that looks different, or something we can't even imagine."

"Yeah.", Hancock conceded.

"I can't give you a minute.", the General lamented. "I know you need one, as I've touched you and you haven't taken that as an invite to hit on me. But it's chaos in there and no one else is going to clean it up."

"Yeah."

1

"What were you plotting in the hall?", Kessler demanded to know.

"Oh, give it a rest.", Hancock decried as he returned to his seat.

The General held the double doors to her office open for a moment. Behind her were obviously a cadre of Minutemen. After giving everyone a chance to see that fact, she walked in, allowing her arms to drag the doors closed.

"I wanted that to make a point.", the lawyer began. "The Institute could have secretly had Diamond City say whatever they wanted Diamond City to say. Instead, they revealed a secret that doesn't put them in a good light.

"The Institute is trying it's best to not be what it was. If we don't do this, this right here and now, right...I don't want the world to be like that. And I don't think any of your people want that either."

"For the people?"


	26. Civility - 12

"Fine.", Overseer McNamara declared. "For the people."

"Did you really have to do that to that man?", Old Man Stockton interrupted.

"I don't believe that particular synth is what someone should mean by 'man'.", the General replied. "For those that should be considered...Well, George Washington had to free America before Abraham Lincoln could free the slaves."

Roxxy raised her hand. "That isn't focused audio of a lot of zonks on the head."

"Maybe not.", the General acknowledged. "But we have to set what rights in the Commonwealth are before we can begin to decide who has them."

"And as to that."

She had tricked the room into being quiet by approaching her original seat in silence. The spell stuck when all the others took their seats.

"As you know, I was a lawyer.", the General reminded. "Now, I still am."

And with that she started passing out papers to the delegates.

"I want to ensure that everyone's rights are respected in the Commonwealth. Some sociologists might say that government is to do what the private citizenry can't. But in a government for the people, I think that the government only exists to protect rights.", she explained.

"So first off...

"The Right to Minutemen Protection: Every Commonwealth citizen, identified and identifying as such, shall have access to the protections offered by the Minutemen. As this right is non-exclusionary, all citizens have the ability to aid the Minutemen in bolstering its protective capabilities from personal service to material support to whatever in kind as productive."

"Wait, what?", Geneva interrupted.

The General nodded her head. "Instead of a constitution that states all the powers that government has over people, I would like to see and defend one that ensures the rights of the people. So stating government functions as rights people have will guarantee that the only thing we can do is defend them.

"Unless Diamond City has a desire to grasp power over the other communities here?"

The clean room suited representative turned head to face the blonde.

"Um...no?", she replied. "No reason."

"Glad we can all agree that none of us are trying to take over.", the General stated. "So everyone here is in favor of making sure everyone has Minutemen protection? Say aye or raise your right hand."

Kessler looked at the other delegates. Zeke was still whispering to Roxxy, representative of the Atom Cats, as she raised her right and called out "Aye.". Hancock, Mayor of Goodneighbor, though sullen, called out "Aye." Overseer McNamara of Vault 81 called out "Aye.". Geneva, now acting Mayor of Diamond City, rushed to have her raised right hand recognized but didn't want to continue to call attention to herself with vocalizing. The Institute representative had...her...its (?) right hand raised the entire time. Kessler glanced to Old Man Stockton and nodded. Stockton, representative of Bunker Hill, then raised his hand and stated "Aye."

The General nodded. "Everyone that doesn't want the citizens of the Commonwealth to be protected say nay." No one did.

"The right is adopted. See people, we can work together to ensure each others' freedoms. Now all I need you to do is sign in this space here, next to the right printed here..."

After everyone in the room managed to prove themselves literate without falling in to a not quite blind panic by signing the paper she passed. When it was returned she looked it over. "Good job, people. On any journey, the first step is the hardest and already have our first right signed."

"On to the second. The Right to Autonomy: While each undersigned community's residents are citizens of the Commonwealth, each undersigned are independent communities within. Every community of the Commonwealth has the right to decide its residents, it's local laws and enforcement, and economy without undue interference."

"Really?", McNamara exclaimed. "Because that helps my people so much. Most of us don't know much about the surface and those who dwell here. If I went back and told my people that everyone wanted in, we might have to pull out completely."

"Actually, this is a caveat to protect against the Institute.", the General informed. "You've seen how effectively the Institute...has behaved before. We're here to ensure peace. Therefore, this holds the Institute to not interfere with anyone else."

"Can I ratify that now?", Geneva interjected. "Piper's going to blab about what just happened before I get to talk to anyone. I really need that to keep Diamond City from...well, riots in the streets."

"But what about ghouls?", Hancock pointed out. "If any community can kick out who it wants to, then what keeps them from kicking out people because of the smoothness of their skin?"

"I don't care, I want the Institute to keep its synths to itself.", Geneva countered.

"Same here.", Kessler said.

The General turned to Hancock. "Think of it this way. What if the Slog were a community that signs on later. Would you want a bunch of people who were the ones that forced them out of Diamond City to be able to just move in vote against anything anyone else wanted? We're not living in a metropolis where we have to keep checks and balances just to not create an underclass. Communities know each other."

"I disagree too.", Roxxy declared. "If someone wants to move, they should be able to."

"So if someone thought machinery, such as power armor, was a frivolous and shouldn't exist then you wouldn't mind them moving to the Atom Cats garage.", the General concluded.

"We didn't say all that.", Zeke objected.

"So no matter who was trying to become an Atom Cat, you'd want to vet them first.", the General observed. "Make sure they cut the mustard."

"Well...", Roxxy looked to Zeke. "Sure. But that doesn't mean they couldn't come."

"And nothing about this right says they can't. The Atom Cats could let whomever they want into their community, whenever they choose.", the General assured.

"Yeah, we can't have any squares bending us out of shape.", Zeke agreed.

"So all in favor raise your right hand or say 'aye'.", the General barely finished before she had unanimous 'aye's chorusing.

"Thank you. Moving on-", the General continued after a signature next to the right.

"Right of Communal Defense: Minutemen will declare roads for safe passage and protect from all areas of danger by the best means available."

Hancock looked at her. "I'm not that put out of it. Isn't that the same as number one?"

"Not really.", the Institute representative said in a clearly feminine voice. "The Right to Minutemen Protection establishes that citizens of the Commonwealth are indeed people with rights. This holds the government accountable to those people. It also prevents any one of our communities, including us at the Institute, from claiming Commonwealth holdings for ourselves."

"Oh.", the delegates stated in unison. "Aye."


	27. Civility - 13

1

The General kept on announcing provisions in the constitution to the delegates assembled. "Continuing...

"The Right of Standardization: The Commonwealth will be defined for the undersigned communities by the impartial service of the Minutemen. The Minutemen will be held responsible to provision and ensure the entirety of the Commonwealth."

Roxxy's brow narrowed. But she seemed to be tasting, as if trying to form the words on the tip of her tongue. Stockton had caught on to this and had started to watch the Atom Cats with care whenever one of them hesitated.

The General explained. "We don't need to be biting at each other. For instance, Diamond City has a security envelope that extends past their wall. Should Goodneighbor wish to expand or develop their own security envelope, there would have to be a previously agreed to mechanism for resolving any border dispute in a peaceful manner. With words and idea, rather than another Diamond City style purge.

"Besides, this supports the next right.

"That's going to be threat removal, where the Minutemen are given the responsibility of handling not only external threats but groups like the Forged."

"Or did Overseer McNamara want the only foundry that could replace reactor parts to remain in the hands of that mad cult?"

The woman down the table shook her head. "That...sounds like a bad thing.", Gwen guessed.

Roxxy turned to Zeke behind her. He narrowed his eyes at the General but nodded slightly, and only once.

"Aye.", Roxxy stated.

Stockton turned to Kessler but Kessler seemed expressionless. "Aye.", the Mayor of Bunker Hill affirmed.

"Aye.", the rest of the table followed.

"And the Right of Freedom From Threats?", the General asked without actually reading it.

"Aye."

"You know,", the General distracted, "it's actually nice working with people that understand the situation. Perhaps people were way too comfortable before the world ended. But based on my experience, I had thought we might have been here a week after people started arguing about who they were sitting next to. But really, I think we have what we need for now."

"I don't.", Roxxy started. Zeke favored her with a curious expression.

"This government's supposed 'for the people'. Anyone that knows where it's at ought to be able to jump around the clock."

"The hell did you just say?", Hancock asked.

"No, that's fair.", the General agreed. She held a pen to her lips as she thought. After a few moments and some stares, she started to write.

"Right to the Freedom of Expression: Every citizen of the Commonwealth, identified and identifying as such, can express their thoughts unheeded. This right does not protect acts to disturb the public tranquility, such as but not limited to threats or extortion or blackmail."

"There's a difference between extortion and blackmail?", Old Man Stockton asked.

The lawyer nodded. "A threat is 'I'm going to kill you.'. Extortion is 'I'm going to kill you if you don't give me everything you have.'. Blackmail is 'I'm going to tell the mayor to have you killed if you don't give me everything you have.' regardless of being accompanied by a threat to reveal illegal information. Blackmail is a crime against the people as it seeks to distort the government's enforcement of laws in exchange for favors. Extortion is just robbery through words."

"Huh.", McNamara acknowledged.

"Fair enough to you, Atom Cats?", the General asked.

"Aye.", Roxxy offered.

A chorus of 'ayes' went up around the table.

"Anything else we can address immediately?", the General continued.

"What about trade?", Geneva asked.

Kessler was cut off by the General. "The Minutemen are already ensuring the safety of the Commonwealth, so trade should progress smoothly. I don't see a reason to interfere between whomever trading among themselves."

Kessler glanced at the General but then turned to stare down Geneva. Geneva was obviously trying to think of something that would justify favoring Diamond City over the traveling caravans. In the end, she couldn't.

"I see."

The General nodded. "Any thing else?"

The table was silent for a moment. The General capitalized on that. "Let's all take a break. If nothing else comes up, then I can send you back to your communities until we need to reconvene. Then the Minutemen can get started on our campaign against the Forged."

2

As the General exited the office, Preston addressed her. "General."

"Preston.", she smiled.

"Um...Can I have a moment to speak with you. Now. It's about the accords."

The General quickly spun to the diplomats. "Refreshments are stored in our mess. It's down that hallway."

She then took Garvey by the arm and led him down toward the room that was turned into a barracks.

Even on the way in she ordered the guard. "The delegates might need something. See to my office or the mess accordingly." No need for her to hear what Preston was likely to say. Especially if he was as smart as she had given him credit for being.

The man seemed hesitant. "These...rights."

The woman nodded. "I thought it would be better to state everything the government is doing as a right of its citizens."

"Well...", Preston continued. "I don't think they are."

"Whatever do you mean?", she opened.

"Well, even the first one - this 'Right of Minutemen Protection'. It says that everyone has the ability to contribute. It doesn't say that the choice to do so is on the person. This could be taken to mean that the Minutemen could demand anything from anyone as long as it was justified as helping the Minutemen to protect the Commonwealth.", he explained.

"And it's not too far a jump from that to simply demanding everything for the sake of the empire."

"That's exactly what that means. Coloenel.", the General admitted.

"Oh, so you agr...wait - what?", Preston asked.

"It takes resources to perform _any_ endeavor.", the General began. "If I had just came out and said so, and called for a provision to take taxes, every single person in that room would have had to be shot before the Castle itself was torn down stone by stone. I had to get them to all sign on to provide that material support because it will be needed at some point.

"Currently, we're what passes as fortunate in the Wasteland. We are producing more from settlements than the larger communities combined. Right now, the Minutemen have enough resources for our next missions. But in any war, that could change in an instant. I had to have a provision where I could siphon off economic output of the Commonwealth to wage those campaigns in the future."

Preston glared at her. "Are you telling me that what I thought I was reading in between the lines as potential...misstatements were...intentional?"

She held a hand over the armor over her heart. "Why Colonel. I thought I was a lawyer. And that writing contractual language was well within my area of expertise."

"So here, in the Right to Autonomy/"

"I will interpret how 'undue' any interference is."

"And Communal Defense/"

"Gives me the authority to tell anyone where they can and cannot go."

He pursed his lips. "And the delegations agreed to these, knowing this."

"They don't know.", the General informed. "That's why they were brought here - to confuse them with infighting. Well, not infighting exactly. They were put off balance by trying to ensure that no one else among themselves gained the upper hand. And they were so busy patting themselves on the back for not squabbling while doing so that they never caught on to anything I was actually having them agree to. Especially after I put the Institute in check by revealing McDonough as a synth.

"And so before it even comes up, I'm giving you new orders. Colonel of the Minutemen.", the General continued. "You are to inform no one, whether directly or indirectly or by an act of omission or some obscure definition of 'somebody' in case you were thinking of typing it in a CONSOLE, of any potential abuse of the terms declared in the Rights of the Commonwealth. If the people lose faith in the Minutemen, then the Commonwealth falls flat.

"Now, I'll promise you that I won't use these clauses for my own ego or self glorification. But we need to have them in place before one community is threatened and begging for it and other communities are lording the opportunity over them. So are you going to follow my order, Colonel?"

[Preston hated that]

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good."

And before she could say anything else, the doors to the barracks flew open.

"General, you need to hear this."


	28. The Second Siege of Diamond City - 1

"This...this" Anyone could here the old nervousness creeping into his voice as it came through the radio. But he managed to keep the self-esteem he earned in his timber.

"This is Travis 'Lonely' Miles of Diamond City Radio. I have interrupted our current broadcasting to warn anyone headed to Diamond City to not do that. The main gate has been shut off. And the Wall, the Green Protector, is keeping everyone out. Or at least Diamond City Security is assuring me of that at that moment.

"It looks like the recent drop in super mutant activity wasn't just a by product of the Institute's cool down. A vast mobilization, a great number, a...well a whole lot of them are right outside our Wall. You heard me right, ladies and gentlemen across the Commonwealth: Diamond City is under siege by super mutants.

"Diamond City has held out before. I hope, for my sake as well as everyone else', that she will again."

The General glared at Radio Freedom. "Why am I hearing about this over the goddamned civilian radio?"

"McDonough/"

She cut him off at the name. "McDonough was still operating on his pre-surrender, anti-Minutemen programming that kept him from getting caught for so long. So while we're set up in Vault 81 and Goodneighbor, Home Base in Diamond City is still unmanned. And therefore, we don't have any presence on the ground there.

"Dammit.", she punched a fist into her hand.

"What are we going to do?"

"Shut up. That's what you're going to do.", she called out to a voice she didn't care to check.

"Radio Freedom. You carry the news on Minutemen Radio. Add in that anyone who is a resident of Diamond City should travel to the nearest Minutemen settlement until further instructions. After I get off the CB, you start checking in with Sherrifs to see what the outcome of that instruction is. Just because someone shows up doesn't mean that they really are from the Gem of the Commonwealth. I don't want a raider getting smart."

She turned to the gathering delegates. "Zeke, Roxxy. Get in your armors and head back to your garage. If you see someone in need, thanks in advance. But you need to yield the road to the Minutemen right now."

"Right on Daddy-O.", Zeke replied and took off running with Roxxy.

"Geneva, Piper. You're guests of the Castle until this is over. But Piper, it's important that you hear this. I know you're going to want to report every detail you can muster. And I know you can handle yourself. But for the love of the Commonwealth, don't get in the way."

"The rest of you, I'll have an APC meet you at the main gate. Get any thing you brought with you and meet it there. The Castle is a combat command center right now and no real place for civilians. Yes, that includes all of you no matter what you've seen in the 'wealth. New World Order."

The Institute representative interrupted her. "I'll make other arrangements for my party?"

The General off handedly glared at her and agreed. "Use my office."

Then she picked up the CB radio. "This is Castle Actual to Colonel Brandis. This is Castle Actual to Colonel Brandis."

"Fort Hagen Hangar to Castle Actual, please stand by. Over."

"Fort Hagen Hangar, we read you loud and clear. Hurry. Over."

After a moment, "General, this is Brandis. What's this about? The Forge make a move or something? Over."

"Do you have Diamond City Radio, or even Minutemen Radio down there? Over."

"Turn that up.", was heard in the background. "This is for real? Not a drill? Over."

"This is not a drill, repeat, this is not a drill. Over."

"Alright, alright.", Brandis caught his breath. "Look, I can start ordering crews to Hangman's Alley/"

"Negative. Repeat, do not order crews to downtown yet. Over."

"Acknowledged. But General, why?

Over."

"We don't have any intel besides that broadcast. I need the one whirlybird we got sent in half circle, north of Diamond City, to the Castle. Have it stop at Oberland Station, Grey Garden, um...Country Crossing and then Norhadgen Beach before coming here. It has orders to collect food first and then water from those settlements. And have it leave room for two Minutemen, over."

"That's asking a lot for one whirlybird, General. Over."

"Fine. Grey Garden, Country Crossing and then the Castle. I need room for two Minutemen and gear when it gets here. Over."

"Yes, General. Over and out."

Then she turned to the Castle at large. "Alright, you Minutemen. I need a volunteer for the second stupidest move in the mission to break the siege of Diamond City!"


	29. The Second Siege of Diamond City - 2

1

"Get the hell out of the way.", Doc Sun called out. Two of Diamond City's finest carried their comrade into the Mega Surgery Center.

"Goddamn mutants, Doc. They/", the casualty proceeded to mumble as the doctor clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Step one - shut up and breathe. It's just your leg. Step two - one of you get over to Chem-I-Care and tell Solomon to bring everything that isn't going to the gate guard over here. Step three - strap him down. I need to **drum** -set the **drum** be- **drum** I can **drum** -PACK the in- **drum** ", the physician tried to get out before he couldn't be heard anymore.

He stepped out from the makeshift medical center. Looking up, he could see the source of overpowering noise. A verti-bird, now emblazened with a Minutemen musket and lightning logo hovered over the market place. A COFFEE TIN fell from the vehicle.

Solomon came running up with his arms full. The Diamond City Security officer broke away from him to retrieve the metal container. Inside was a note. He read it aloud as the verti-bird soared away. Well, flew as best it could through pot shots of laser fire.

"This is Acting Mayor Geneva/"

"What's she want us to do?", the other security officer asked.

"Are the Minutemen going to be able to save us?", Polly interrupted.

Myrna started in. "I never did trust them Minutemen and now they're in bed with the synths."

"Everyone just shut up.", the first officer yelled. "Geneva says to tear apart the speakin' platform so they can land that the Minutemen can land that verti-bird inside the wall. So that means you, you and you are comin' with me and everyone else I find along the way."

2

The verti-bird hovered a few feet off the ground, trying it's best not to have a propeller blade come into contact with the Great Green Protector. It nearly lurched before settling on the ground amidst a pile of wood. The mounted gun swung out of the way to make room for the General.

"Who's in charge here?", she called out.

"Am I glad to see you.", the Diamond City security man told her.

"I said, who is in charge here.", the commander repeated.

"Uh, Mayor McDonough. Ma'am.", he answered. "Isn't he with you."

"I meant on the ground.", she clarified.

"uh...", the man stammered.

And then the tide broke. The citizens of Diamond City had come out en masse to where the verti-bird landed, having abandoned their stores and apartment to seek their salvation. And now that there own security showed weakness, they wanted to fall upon the General. A little more pressing, the verti-bird would be overrun by panicked civilians.

The General had seen it happen before. In the great big Before.

And then she was saved. Piper stepped out from the verti-bird. "Piper Wright, Public Occurences! The people want answers, General."

The crowd looked to Piper. If she was getting answers, they would take them. This also allowed the General to talk directly to one person and not try to control the myriad of moods that could turn the crowd into a mob. And given that Piper was a newspaper reporter, the people had already been conditioned to wait for the answers and analysis she provided.

"I will give you a personal interview to explain everything!", the General said. "Give me half a minute with this man here, and I'll accompany you to your offices. Provided you make all the information you have available to the populace as soon as possible."

Piper's smile nearly showed at the General passing the buck of holding back the mob to her while changing their demand to something she was going to do anyway. "You have my word, General."

She spun to the Diamond City security officer. "There's RAZORGRAIN and PURIFIED WATER on board that chopper. You and your men unload it and get it to your offices. In order to not disrupt the economy of Diamond City, it's only to be disbursed to keep good order. That means your men last, children first, and well after merchant supplies run out. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. But where's/"

"Read the next edition of Publick Occurences. And make sure no one touches my verti-bird! The pilot has orders to take off without me if anyone compromises the aircraft.

"Alright, Ms. Wright. You have my undivided attention."

And with that, she cut through the already thinning crowd.

3

"So you do have a plan, right?", Piper asked. "You didn't just fly me in so that I could die along side my sister."

"Of course I didn't.", the General stated. "If I want a Diamond City to even exist after this, I'm going to have to keep these people calm. And in a siege, that means assuring them of supplies, information and an end.

"While I can't run an evacuation with one verti-bird, and I don't really have a place to evacuate them to if I wanted to, I can take the edge off the supplies issue. And motor pool has told me that they were already working on getting another one on line.

"Why I actually allowed you back was to keep these people informed. The read they're going to be looking for is whether or not I have this well in hand or not. And if I don't they'll burn the place down. But you've seen what the Minutemen have built up. Tell them. I just don't want particular details broadcast over Diamond City Radio. Super mutants aren't exactly educated, but they do know that the words coming out of radios mean something.

"And I do promise you this - I will end this siege. In my head, I'm thinking by weeks end. But I need to re-assess what I saw from the air and figure out the best placement of our forces. I'm not going to sacrifice my men willy-nilly just to break this siege as fast as possible when I can figure out a right way to do it that's slower and saves lives."

Nat spoke up. "So when are we going to print?"

"Right now.", Piper told her. "Fire up the mimeograph. I have a paper to publish."

"And I have a flight to catch.", the General responded. The woman darted out of the publishing office without so much as a peck on the cheek.


	30. The Second Siege of Diamond City - 3

1

"At last, ye come to see poor old Cait.", the newly christened sheriff of Covenant said. The General had walked into town surprisingly alone. No guards, no verti-bird...nothing. It was nearly like she had appeared out of thin air.

"Sorry.", the General apologized while taking her into a brief hug. "With the Institute's integration and turning the Minutemen into something that matters and the new government and now/"

"I understand, luv.", Cait accepted. "But the boy you sent. Where does he fit into all this?"

"Would you accept 'classified' as an answer?", the General asked. She took Cait by the arm to the office building / house in case the answer was no.

"General.", the local grenadier greeted.

She saluted with her off hand. "Soldier.", as she passed by.

Once the two were in the office, and the door was locked, Cait spoke. "I suppose I'll be having to, if it comes with the rank. Doesn't mean I'm not a wee bit curious.

"Mr. Freund shows up out of the wild blue yonder with a handwritten note from you. It tells me to teach him pugilism, and after scouring the entire settlement for a dictionary I'm able to find out you mean fisticuffing. But it's your writing, and dare I say orders Ms. General-Mum, so I put the child through the ringer.

"He's certainly thirsty, he is. More afraid of disappointing you than any beating that I can give him. And he's lucky he isn't dumb. He picked up tricks so fast I actually had to show him the principles of the thing. Started putting him outside the wall without the gun and he's come back with usable salvage every time, and a story to tell. Took down two raiders with his bare hands, he did. Sure, they were a malnourished lot but that just makes 'em feistier in my experience."

The General nodded. "Good. More than good. Excellent. I'm going to send him off to MacCready to learn shooting if he's up to snuff on brawling.

"Now I have to ask you the stupid thing. What do you know about Diamond City?"

Cait sat behind what had now become her desk. On it sat a bottle of scotch and and inhaler of JET, both with an unbroken label. They both served as an announcement of her sobriety.

"If you mean in general, as much as anyone that doesn't live there I suppose. If you mean right now...well that's a bit more complicated, isn't it? Every radio with a personality is screaming to keep away from the place. Entire city's surrounded by super mutants armed to the teeth."

"More or less.", the General agreed. "I need to take the uncertainty out of it. We flew over the area when we dropped off supplies, in case the siege lasts long. I can't keep our verti-bird over the area long enough to get a good picture of what's going on. It's not like the super mutants stand still and don't try to shoot us from the sky while we take count. I need a count of heads, weapons, whatever provisions they brought. And that's going to take someone who can make it up a building in downtown alive, with a strong enough back to bring a CB with her to tell the Castle what's going on."

"And who is the sorry sod dumb enough to do something that stupid?", Cait asked.

The General looked at her sadly.

The woman shook her head. "Oh, no ye don't. I may be a tough one but I ain't going against super mutants a hundred to one."

"I'm not asking you to break the siege single handed.", the General explained. "In fact, I don't want you to engage at all. I need you back here in Covenant to hold the place together.

"All I want is scouting information. Keep far away from the super mutants, get a count of what they have and radio in if they look like they're going to say...rush the gate with suiciders or something. I don't even want the super mutants knowing that this is going on if it can be helped.

"It's just that there are very few people I trust to be tough enough to stay alive in downtown long enough to pull this off. And this will mean picking a building tall enough to get a good vantage point and staying on top of it long enough for us to gain intel from doing so."

Cait raised her eyebrow. "Can I bargain a bit?"

"Bargain?", the General repeated.

"Aye. First, I'll be wanting Mr. Freund to be watching me back on this. If he gets through this, I'll send him on his way to Mr. MacCready with whatever letter you write out for him. Should me make it from what used to be the cities to whichever farm you're stashing the dodgy soldier, then he'll have graduated my curriculum and will be a first class brawler that I can put me name to."

The General nodded. "As long as you don't take any extra risks. With him or yourself for that matter. I need you both."

"Then the second. I want you buying me a frilly little thing, like you do for Piper.", Cait demanded.

"But I like your corset.", she objected.

"Then ye better be finding a frilly little corset, you silly goose.", Cait reiterated.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do when I get some private time."

Cait continued. "And I best be having me cushy job of sheriffing back when I'm done with this mess. Me feet are becoming accustomed to being propped up on this desk as much as me ears are to being called 'Ma'am'."

2

"I think Vault 111 guessed right.", Neil told Cait. He barely peaked out over the roof of a building to see up the street that ran behind the stadium that Diamond City was housed in. His combat armor over his vault suit would have protected him should he have been seen. But the mission parameters had been for keeping quiet, low, and out of the way.

"There's a party on patrol. But no where near the number that's actually camping at the main gate. I think they're just keeping a look out in case someone tries to slip over the wall.", he finished. "Or they don't want to be too far from the camps they're setting up in the open buildings across the street from Diamond City's wall."

"Alright.", Cait replied. "Get your head back from sight and I'll call it in to Radio Freedom. The bloody git needs to just take me info instead of berating me about protocol, though. Otherwise, I'll be proto-his-calling when this is through."


	31. The Second Siege of Diamond City - 4

"Diamond City Security has enough food and water for the populace for about a week, from us.", the General announced. "Given a total collapse of their own farms and 'lake'. I don't think we'll actually be looking at a starvation problem before we break the siege.

"What I'm worried about is the damage to the economy. Not only is Diamond City the biggest trading partner with...well, everyone in the Commonwealth. I don't know that the culture of the community will allow a recovery if the flow of caps stalls for too long."

Geneva nodded. "Even if it came to emergency rationing, I just know that upper stands residents would demand a somehow 'better' or 'more' that will build resentment. Maybe to the point of riots. Or if we're really unlucky, the belief that there could be a reasonable surrender to the super mutants."

"Yeah, I can just see that.", Colonel Brandis declared. "First term of surrender: open the gate. Second term of surrender: get ate."

The three leaned back from the conference table in the General's office. A tourists map that was way too old and way to dirty of the Boston area, meant to be thrown away after a day of site seeing but now surprisingly useful like the rest of the 'junk' of the Wasteland, lay unfolded on the table before them. It had been marked and re-marked with sightings and reports of the super mutant siege of what was labeled as Fenway Park.

"Who do you even have down there?", Brandis continued. "They've got to be either one tough sumbitch or the craziest man you've got to poke their noses into that mess."

"I'd rather not say.", the General answered. "I mean, you can figure it out easily enough. But if no one bothers to, I'm not going to give it away."

"Yes, General.", he obliged.

"So how are you going to free the city?", Geneva asked.

"That's what we're trying to decide.", the General snapped back. "We have to clear Diamond City. But we have to have enough of Diamond City Security alive afterward to reform the envelope that surrounded the stadium."

"And the Commonwealth falls if we were to just throw Minutemen at the situation.", Brandis added.

"We have to come about this smart.", the woman continued. "It's our primary advantage over the super mutants as far as I've seen."

"Look alive.", she said pointing at the map. "There's a few clever plays we can set up. Like the police station for Precinct 8. We can come through there and break any line that forms. But it might be better to send an APC from the north and the south and then again from another street over. That way, the enemy will be pressed, lose the street, duck through the police station themselves and be trapped that way."

"That's no good.", Brandis stated. "Consider your lines of sight. Any attempt to come at the eastern wall would be caught by the mutants camped out at the gate."

The General agreed. "Okay, you're right.

"What about breaking on the northeast corner, then? Because of the street leading away from the northern wall, we can turn the corner facing the middle of the northern wall and the northeast corner simultaneously. The patrol up and down the northern wall can get ambushed before the reinforcements in the buildings lining the streets can be mobilized."

"By about half a minute.", Brandis scoffed. "Even if we did mow down the ones on patrol, the others would stuff that street again in moments."

"Exactly.", the General pointed out. "The super mutants are betting that they're big and tough and numerous enough that Diamond City Security couldn't ever punch through the main gate. They're only keeping patrols to keep watch and make sure no one's slipping over the wall.

"What we don't know is how much they're expecting us, the Minutemen. They may be too stupid to anticipate another force. They might be too evil to think someone would come to help...but then again, I've seen them use hostages as bait before. On the other hand, the could be anticipating us. This works in either case.

"Once we take out that patrol, there's a whole in their line. Which means they can't resupply continuously. Also, if they are worried that someone could slip over the wall, any area we control along the wall allows that to happen. They're forced to retake the area."

Brandis nodded. "And they don't know how many or strong our forces would be. So they have to take men away from every other part of the line...including the main gate. Is that what you're going for?"

"Eventually.", the General answered. "We just need to draw them away into cross fires. The northeast looked the easiest because the lines of sight are blocked by buildings the longest. When they give chase, we can pincer them from the sides.

"We can do it again from the south. You see this street that goes from being one block south of the stadium on the east to meeting up with where the gate is on the west? As soon as we turn onto it, we're in the line of fire from the main group camping outside the gate. But if we come through the police station/"

"We antagonize the same hole on the northeast.", Brandis assessed. "This nearly screams two main force groups."

Geneva glanced back and forth between the two Minutemen commanders. "Two? You haven't said anything about the super mutants that are trapping people inside at the main gate."

Both the General and the Colonel stood and pointed over the map. "No, no...that's the second attack.", the General stated while pointing. "See, we'll come around this way from prepping first.", Brandis explained.

Geneva tried to follow their fast paced speech explaining the strategy. "So this harrass and draw? One group of Minutemen will poke at the super mutants until they chase you into pre-set traps. This will keep reducing super mutant numbers until the main gate isn't the hell zone described. A different group of crews, stationed at Hang Man's Alley, will then come south and then turn the corner east to approach from the west. This will turn the gate area into an 'anvil'. A large force of APCs will hold this intersection outside the main gate, and all the super mutants on the eastern wall won't have a way out on that street nor the ones on the southern wall. After the cross fires happen to the north and east, those Minutemen will become twin 'hammers': chasing the surviving super mutants back to the southwest where the 'anvil' will be once the lines thin."

"I think she's got it.", Brandis stated.

The General pursed her lips. "Let's get it done."


	32. The Second Siege of Diamond City - 5

"Got 'em angry, pulling back to street on our port side. Over."

"Copy that, your port side. We're withdrawing and letting squad 3 cover your starboard. You'll lead 'em into a threeway. Over."

"Here they come.

"Suicider! Suicider!"

"Suicider down."

The General nodded along with the near rythym of the battle coming over the broadcasts. APCs sounded as if they were coordinating according to the plan. The Minutemen had yet to take a hit that a power armor grabbing and a STIM PACK couldn't make acceptable - in the strategic sense of the word.

What did worry her was the sheer number of enemy down. If the super mutants could provide that number of sheer _targets_ , how many were still holding the main gate? How many did Cait miscount? How many were just embedded in the ruins that surrounded Diamond City? The plan required the intersection outside the main gate to Diamond City being absolutely secure. If the anvil could be overrun, then the hammer & anvil would become a dispersed melee. Crossfires would lead to friendly fires. Fog of war would increase exponentially with individual soldiers not being able to communicate to one another.

"They didn't follow. Repeat: enemy did not follow."

"We're thinned out on what's coming out of the police station."

The General called out. "That's our queue! Go, go, go!"

APC doors slammed shut as they peeled out from the street connecting the entrances to Hangman's Alley. The settlement was nearly worthless: attempting to farm or keep an internal water source was nearly impossible. On the other hand, it was located dead smack downtown between Vault 81 & Diamond City. Four blocks of driving separated where the APCs had prepped themselves and the 5 to 10 meters of street they needed to cover.

And now three blocks. Two. One.

"First stall!", the General ordered over the internal radio of an APC. The APCs stopped and their doors opened again. Each squad's power armor ran out the back as fast as it could.

"Move!" The APCs had barely picked their doors off the street as they made their way to the hold point. Each nearly dented the next as they tried to form a solid wall across the intersection. Surprisingly and fortunately, most of the super mutants had their backs turned as they tried to follow the action that was down street from their position.

Now one corporal was realizing that he was in one of those moments where a person will remember it in crystal detail for the rest of their lives. They only last a fraction of a second or so. But he would never forget the look on this particular super mutant's face as he reached over with his left hand and tapped another on the shoulder. The other turned from the street he was peering down to rip into the one that tapped him. The first only pointed right at the corporal. The look on the other's face, in response to a line of APCs, was absolutely priceless.

"We're locked in General.", he called out.

"Get those doors back down!", the General screamed through her personal power armor's speakers. With heavy clangs she scrambled out the back of the military vehicle to take command. "Get out and get up. Have your synths cover our backside and make sure we're not jumped from behind."

With that, Minutemen started scrambling out of APCs, followed by Mark IIs. The people stepped into the waiting hands of privates that used their armor enhanced strength to press them up to the roofs of the APCs. In seconds, a firing line in a raised position had been established. The Minutemen cut a sizeable chunk out of what was supposed to be the most dangerous spot in the line of the siege.

"We're in position!", the General called into the nearest APC. "Tell the others to press back into us. Repeat:Anvil is good!"

"Anvil is go. Repeat: anvil is go." sqwuaked every transmitter in an APC in the area. "Hammer commence."

"That means it's our turn, boys.", the General told the other Minutemen in power armor at the APC line. Power armor started pushing each other on top of APCs only to have them drop down in front of the line with MINIGUNs and GATLING LASERs blazing. After the General had everyone at least on top and ready to drop down, she activated her own jet pack to throw her suit over the line and into the fight.

The space in front of the main gate was cleared out of super mutants within the minute. "You and you: hold this north-south street on the right. All of you: rip into everything from the left."

"Yes, General!"

The General's X-01 Type 6 power armor, now decked out in blue and white with a stylized laser musket and lightning logo, clomped over to the main gate and tapped out 'shave and a haircut'. It's oversized finger pressed the intercom button. "Any body in there order an ass-whuppin'?"

An electronic voice came out of the attached speaker. "That didn't _sound_ like a super mutant."

"It's the General of the Minutemen.", she replied. "Get your lazy asses out here and lend a gun to your own defense. Unless you were intending to have the Minutemen render you absolutely useless."

It was a noticable amount of time, in combat terms, before the gate opened. By the time it did, APCs from the hammer sides of the conflict had come into sight. But every available man the Diamond City Security had came our, armed with every pipe gun and baseball bat they could find.

But even after hopping over bodies of super mutants, they didn't really join the fight in any meaningful way. The super mutant force had been split and exhausted in spent ammuniton and man power.

The General waited until a very, very few were left alive along the eastern side of the stadium. "Surrender to the Minutemen!"

"Super mutant beat human!", came the nearly reflexive response. And then dying response.

Standing among smoldering super mutants, the General offered. "Offer a surrender on the other street. Prioritize medical assistance to our own troops. But offer it all the same."

"Um, General?", another power armor suit next to her raised its hand.

"Yes, private?"

"Medical assistance to who?", the Minutemen asked.

The General assessed the situation. Minutemen were pouring onto the street from the APCs that had pulled super mutants away from their lines and then pressed back. The troops in power armor around her were marred but not irrepairable, let alone injured. The men on top of the wall the vehicles had formed didn't seem to be lacking in rifles shooting down the other street. And the Diamond City Security certainly didn't look like they had been in a fight.

"Huh."


	33. The Second Siege of Diamond City - Last

1

"Diamond City owes its existence to the Minutemen.", Geneva stated from the now reconstructed stage.

The crowd before her stood somber. All of Diamond City had come out, upper stands residents and farmers alike. The Institute flags that had flown over the market place no longer did. The only flag that had any real significance was the one to be displayed on the upper story wall of the Home Base: a white musket sided with lightning bolts on a weathered blue background. And a red hanker chief that signaled that Travis "Lonely" Miles was broadcasting live.

Geneva continued. "But exists she does. In a government that has made her stronger.

"I understand that some cowards want to resent the new government. Resentful of revealing our mayor to be synth, instead of trying to forgive the Institute for the replacement. Hesitant to trust, despite the Minutemen having saved their lives. Demanding of self determination and that determination to be demands on everyone else. Maybe 'coward' is too good a word for those few.

"But I've seen what the General can do. She has saved our city. She has saved our Commonwealth. And instead of being hailed as a hero for saving our world, she's dedicated herself to building it to be something worthwhile.

"And I don't know that anyone else has seen this.

"So, as Acting Mayor, it is my duty to announce and run and determine the election of the next mayor of Diamond City. But I must recuse myself. The head of Diamond City Security will be keeping tally. Because I am running for the position myself.

"I may be the only person besides Piper Wright and Nick Valentine who truly understands what this woman is capable of. And I cannot, in good conscience, allow Diamond City to miss out on the single greatest opportunity to ever come across the Commonwealth in our entire lives. I will not see us cowering from the Institute. I will not have no one to turn to when the next Brotherhood of Steel roars in.

"We have a democracy. There are going to be upper stands residents who are going to assure you of the same promises that convinced you to vote in Mayor McDonough...or the synth that replaced him. Ann Codman's going to tell you that she can bring more caps to your businesses...those of you that own businesses, instead of busting your butts out on the farm or working for someone else. Malcolm Latimer's going to insinuate he might be able to lean on the Triggerman and squeeze some caps out of them...for those you who'll deal in things like that. I am going to tell you that there is something you can get with no amount of caps: a country.

"Maybe not the fabled United Commonwealth. Maybe not even this so-called New California Republic the caravans tell of. But at least one for us.

"Thank you. And bless Diamond City."

The crowd stood in silence.

The General jumped on the opportunity. "Parade column!"

The crowd's attention swung around to the General. Then it dispersed as fast as it could. Everyone who 'owned' a vantage point went to it. Those who didn't clambered up wherever they weren't kicked off.

The Minutemen, for their part, came into a single file line. It wasn't even the full force that had liberated the city. Barely two crews had stayed behind. (The General just new that as word spread of a freed Diamond City, the Commonwealth would just assume that the Minutemen wouldn't be found elsewhere.) The last man in the column was in T-60 power armor and stood next to a Type II synth wearing a MILITIA HAT if still in an INSTITUTE JUMPSUIT. A line in front of him was formed of uniformed Minutemen until they to ended in a power armor and synth configuration.

The General straightened Preston's ever present blue scarf.

"This is silly.", he said.

"Of course this is.", the General agreed. "This isn't even a parade, it's a running of the bases. Then again, I don't know if there are enough people alive in the Commonwealth to hold a proper parade of floats and building sized balloons/"

Preston scoffed. "Building sized balloons?"

She shrugged. "At least for Thanksgiving. But this is what the people want. So we're going to give it to them."

"So you're going to carry this flag around the city?"

"Correction.", she smiled. "You're going to give it to them. I'm going to go up on the stage and tried to hide my laughing at you. Glad I'm the General and not Colonel of Personnel. Bet you regret offering me the post now."

Preston not-smiled at her, rolling his eyes.

"Parade march!", she cried out. The assembled Minutemen took off in lockstep toward Third Base.

2

"Before I begin, I want to thank Diamond City.", the General claimed.

No one in the crowd believed her. She had just saved them from a horde of super mutants. And she wanted to thank them.

"I'd like to thank Diamond City for being something worth saving. Each glimmer of the world I left that shines on in this city gives me hope that it can spread to the entirety of the Commonwealth. Every scrap of industry, every practiced skill, even a functioning media...all are signs that we are still civilized as a species.

"I only want to see this grow.

"The second siege of this city strikes me as more than coincidental. Nearly a hundred years ago exactly, the Minutemen defended this city. Our name became synonymous with the service and protection we provide to all who dwell in the Commonwealth that day. Previous Generals have given their lives in the service: at the Castle, at Quincy. I am proud to dedicate my life to the same service.

"But now is not the time to memorialize. Now is the time to honor.

"I'd like everyone to welcome the Corporal of Crew 3 to the stage.", she paused. Cheers went up as a soldier in the MILITIA HAT and MINUTEMEN OUTFIT uniform was helped up the stage by two others, still wearing their mandated combat armor.

"The corporal piloted his armored personnel carrier to provide armor for his crew. In doing so, repeated missile fire bent the front armor and eventually exploded the treated glass into his chest. Despite exhausting his own supply of STIM PACKs, he continued to protect his crew and did not allow the line to collapse despite his injury at the time. To him, I am awarding the Purple Heart for injury in the line of duty."

The General clapped along with the applause she helped to start.

"Next, a Minutemen of Crew 4. Exhausted her STIM PACKs advancing a line under MINIGUN fire. She still maintained cover fire for her crew to move the line up to her. To her, I am awarding the Purple Heart for injury in the line of duty."

The Minutemen she was referring to seemed to still be having some type of problem with her leg. STIM PACK technology had healed her physical injury. But even so, the Wasteland did end up with a great number of people suffering a great number of conditions. Even the Institute had not discovered how to treat the condition the General's son had died from.

"Finally, Private of Crew 4. Private, I understand that every piece of your power armor suffered a system failure of some sort or another.", the General pointed out.

The Minutemen in normal clothing replied. "The frame was only bent a little, General."

She smiled. "I've also been informed that you were the one that caught up to the Minutemen and the Corporal, saving their lives with your own issued STIM PACKs. For these actions in the face of a ferocious enemy, I am awarding you a Bronze Star of Valor.

"I expect this kind of service from all Minutmen. But more importantly, the Commonwealth should be able to as well."

The cheering drowned out Travis' commentary, even on the radio broadcast.


	34. Build Up - 13

"Now that that's done, I want the Forged in the ground.", the General told her colonels.

The four were seated at the now single table in her office at the Castle. She alone was on her feet, pacing impatiently.

"It's not exactly that simple, General.", both Preston and Brandis said at the same time. The two men looked at each other. "What do you mean by that?"

"Alright.", the General interrupted. "Stop the stereo. Preston?"

"We still have to accomplish readiness that you've already ordered, or at least intended.", Colonel Garvey reminded. "Attache Anderson hasn't even assessed the true health of the men who served during the siege, let alone assessed the state of the entire Minutemen. We have yet to clear anyone past Overseer McNamara, Acting/"

"Soon to be.", the General snapped.

The man threw up his hands. "Fine - Soon to be Mayor Geneva, Mayor Kessler or anyone else for that matter. We need to get our ducks in row to begin with. We can't just act like they are, or even act like they somehow were and we're just straightening up after the siege."

The General's head shook as if she was physically bouncing the idea around in her head.

Brandis kept pressing. "And those super mutants: they didn't come out of thin air. We were caught with our pants down. And we have no way of pulling them up, either. We took no news to be good news while they were mobilizing. We don't know anything outside our settlements and what the communities are volunteering. If a feral herd of ghouls happened to be on the way to the Castle right now, we wouldn't know until an APC crossed its path.

"I can't see taking on the Forged one eye blind, one ear deaf and a head full of misremembered musings."

The General frowned. She sat at the head of the table.

"You're right.", she began. "I just hate setbacks. We were on such a roll with getting your corp off the ground and the government in place and Zoa's work. I wasn't looking at the siege as the Minutemen protecting the Commonwealth, like that's our job. I was looking at it as something dumped on my plate, keeping me...us from success. I need to start seeing it for the victory the men made it and learn from what went wrong."

"Alright, new orders.

"Preston - the issues you raised. Grab an APC and put Doc Anderson on it. I want her report in front of you, Shaw and me as quick as she can make while being medically accurate. And tell her that I'm on to the but-I-want-to-serve-despite racket. We haven't exactly turned down a Minutemen for any medical condition yet, so it shouldn't be a problem to just tell us instead of covering for some hard luck patriot.

"As for yourself, solve the office problem. Get people into Home Plate, the office, the warehouse and the monument as quick as can be. If the Atom Cats want someone, make it happen.

"Brandis - repair. Don't stop what you're doing because it's working. But I know we had to have taken more damage than just what I remember putting that much equipment in front of an enemy. I'm trusting you to fix it so I don't have to hear it. Let me know when you're done with repairs and back to collecting. I shouldn't want to face the Forged before that's done, right?

"Ronnie: I need another count. We've had an actual action. Compare what was used to what we're producing in settlements as well. If we're not in the black on that/"

"In the black, General?", Shaw asked.

"It's...or at least, it was an accounting term. If you had losses that ran under what you took in, then you marked that in red ink. If your resources intake was more than what you expended you wrote with, and were in, black. I want to make sure that the amount the settlements produced during the siege was enough to make up for what was used up during it. If not, we're going to have to reassess civilian positions earlier than I had wanted.

"Aye, General."

"Admiral. How many boats do we have in the water and ready to serve?"

The ghoul spoke more softly than usual. "Only two, General."

"And the excuse?"

"None."

The General blew through pursed lips. "Then the explanation, Zao. Remember, thanks to you we've got two more than we had before."

"Oh.", Zao realized. "I assumed you had not meant my Yangtze, so the number is only one more than last reported. The men that Colonel Garvey transferred were all tasked to the taking of the Shamrock. Using the ship yards, I believe we will be able to...christen? ships at a faster rate due to the ability to repair in dry dock.

"My attache is already in command at the Shamrock. She assures me of launching another vessel tomorrow. I believe that the men currently training on board my submarine may be ready to train on the new one by then as well."

"Thank you.", the General exaggeratedly nodded. "Add into your schedule time to draw up potential support for an attack on the Forged. The foundry is about 15 feet from the water after all. But note the terrain, the fact that Gunners are across the river - everything. And if the answer is that there isn't naval support available, I want to know that as well."

"I'm going to solve our intelligence problem."


	35. End Game - 2

"Look alive. You can put down the laser rifle, Deegan.", the General told the ghoul.

The combat armored ghoul slowly lowered his weapon as the General lowered hers. While she appeared to not be able to lift anything of import, her adventures in the commonwealth had shown not only a surprising skill at sneaking and the pistol but an astounding amount of luck as well. At least luck is what Edward was going to chalk it up to. How else could someone get the drop on him?

"Haven't seen you in a while.", he gruffed out.

The General holstered her weapon. "Don't know if you've been listening to the radio, but the Minutemen have been rather busy as of late."

"I don't.", Edward replied. "Always pays to keep both ears on the job. No one's actually been out this way yet. I aim to keep it that way. And patrolling a wide enough path away from the craft while keeping close enough to catch anyone who might come by is nearly a full time job all by itself."

"Ah.", she nodded. "Well, we are still a ways away. You got to me before I could 'discover' anything alien.

"But still, I do need to keep tabs on Dr. Cabot. Are you going to escort me in, or can I go on?"

The ghoul frowned (she thought, but considering the radiation's deformities...). "Git.", he said with a head toss in the general direction.

She continued on. Eventually she came to what appeared to be an above ground bunker, or at least a bunker's entrance. She was certain that she was standing where the skid mark of the crashed alien ship had been. But there was no trail, and her memory of the trail led to a metal door set in concrete. And as she approached, a spot light's glare fell on her.

The door opened. Jack Cabot immediately apologized. "I am sorry about that. But as we both know, with this we cannot be too careful."

"You don't have to tell me that, Dr.", she accepted.

"Do come in.", Jack invited.

She stepped inside the bunker. The...well, not facility. Artifice? It was set up as well as any of her other settlements. A fusion generator provided plenty of light, security turrets and the like. And the walls were solid concrete and steel.

"I gave priority to privacy.", the scientist explained. "I whole heartedly agree that the Commonwealth at large is not ready for the admittance of alien intelligence. Between the religious and identity complications alone, the Wasteland has not bred a large amount of...let us say - patience and rational response to perceived threats.

"Hence, a quick raking over of the crash marks allowing what plants still grow in the irradiated soil to take hold while mixing in the moved dirt with the rest of the dead ground so common. Anyone who remembers the cave would know that it would be opportune to use as a pseudo-Vault. The outside edifice gives a demand for privacy, as well as enforcement of that demand."

"I see.", the General assessed.

"That is most of the reason I haven't been able to give but the most cursory once over to the alien's craft. Or its corpse.", Cabot continued.

She held up a hand. "Don't worry. I'm impressed.

"But you did say 'most' of the reason. What's the rest?", she asked.

The scientist nodded. "Equipment. So far, I'm only able to guess at what theoretical technologies this find seems to match up to. I would need a host of spectroscopy and variable resistance conductors to begin to even determine the materials that make up the ship, leave alone/"

"Jack, I am not a scientist.", the General cut him off. "That's why I brought you in on this. I won't know what you're talking about without years of study. And in the world as it is now, that probably means apprenticing here or at the Institute. Neither of which I have time for.

"Did you take note of what you believe you need?"

The man nodded. "Over here, at my accounting desk. I mean, I keep my written record for posterity and my note taking during experimentation separate so the first isn't damaged by the latter. It's served me well these centuries. Hm...there you are."

The General looked over the hand written list, making sure she could read (and pronounce) the various items on it. "This seems like a lot. Is it?"

"Not yet.", Cabot explained. "I can't really conceive of what 'a lot' would be considering the sheer scale of the investigation. I would suppose your entire Institute could be consumed in this find. But considering the need for absolute secrecy, I've limited that particular list to what's absolutely crucial and I can't obtain from my own stores for this particular stage of my investigation. Assuming that I don't trip some microscopic or otherwise cloaked safeguard and tear a hole in the planet when the craft's stardrive explodes."

She gritted her teeth. "I'm just asking because my only source for things like this is the Institute itself. And they know that I'm not a scientist of any sort. I'll need to be able to abscond with this without raising suspicions, let alone being asked questions.

"Fortunately, I'm on my way there now for an entirely different project, covering my absence from the Minutemen as well. And that task is going to preoccupy just about everyone. So I want you to go over this list with me. I need to know what this stuff is, what it does in case the Institute calls any of it by another name, and what's more likely to be paid attention to than not."

"Of course.", Jack acquiesced. "And as for the, ahem, _other thing_ the Institute was supposed to be working on?"

The General drew a vial of MYSTERIOUS SERUM from her coat. "They're still working on replication. But they're close and they know what it 'will' do. So I expect a regular supply the forthcoming. Just keep your eyes on the work, Dr."


	36. Build Up - 14

"Director, I must demand/"

"You demand nothing of me, Holdren.", the Director said in a very serious tone.

The man sighed. "I simply meant/"

"Save it for the meeting we're having in a half of a minute? Please?", she cut off.

"Very well.", the put off scientist acquiesced.

The now Director instead of General finished tying the tie of her CLEAN BLACK SUIT. Straightening the jacket, she walked into the conference room of the Institute to take her seat at the head of the table. Once Dr. Holdren had taken his seat she opened the meeting.

"I've come here to speak of a few things. However, to show that I am indeed putting the Institutes interests first, please. Dr. Holdren?"

Dr. Ayo cut him off. "The good Dr. Holdren's discoveries are, quite by definition, already discovered. My questions could potentially be more time sensitive."

"Really, Justin?", Holdren asked.

"Yes. Really, Clayton.", the head of the Synth Retention Bureau replied.

"General/"

"Director is fine.", the Director told him.

"Of course.", Dr. Ayo agreed amicably. " _Director_ , I must congratulate your Minutemen...and your use of them. I was certain that intervening with the siege of Diamond City would bring you hear demanding all of our services in support of those who squabble among themselves on the surface. Not only did you manage to maintain what passes for order, but with primarily Minutemen resources and no unexpected additions of our own. There wasn't even a damaged Mark II despite my budgeting for exactly that. In fact, my reports indicate that the social order we're presiding over is going quite swimmingly. Bravo."

She raised an eyebrow over her BLACK RIMMED EYEGLASSES. "Thank you?"

Justin nodded. "I had thought to prepare a...report after you compromised our plant in Diamond City's administration. However, my other sources inform me that Geneva will make for an even more loyal asset. And a sentient one at that."

The Director went back to a poker face. "Well, I'll get back to that in a moment. But if you could prepare a listing for review of all of 'our' 'assets' on the surface, that would be of great aid. I may have to commend some of them personally for judging me worthy of _your_ approval. And more complete than just your checking a list of names that I provide this time?"

"But of course.", Dr. Ayo acknowledged.

"Now Holdren?", she prompted.

"Dr. Volkert started analyzing the MYSTERIOUS SERUM you gave him. Then when he realized its potential, it became the hot project of our lab.

The man held up a test tube. "What's in this vial, were it to be injected into the blood stream and metabolized by a human subject, would increase that human's strength by a factor and render the person as immune to the dangerous forms of radiation found on the surface as we can determine. And considering its some how meta-epigenetic abilities that help keep DNA from eroding in the presence of the very radiation that accelerates the mutations, cancers and out right poisoning of an organism...it has the potential to retard aging."

Dr. Li gasped. "What do you mean by 'retard aging'?"

"No more telomere sheering.", the head of Bioscience informed. "No more cellular decay with age. Not faking it by replacing tissue with that grown from stem cells or cybernetics. Just the mechanism for aging going up in a poof of smoke.

"So I have to ask the Director. Where did you get this?"

"Can you replicate it?", the Director countered.

"That's not an answer.", Dr. Binet pointed out.

"And when I get to Robotics, I'll need your input.", the Director stated. "Now Dr. Holdren. Can. You. Produce. It?"

Clayton held her gaze. "Considering the output of our new reactor/"

"Which I helped bring on line."

"Which you helped bring on line. Yes. It takes a lot of endothermic reactions, a careful monitoring of enthalpy states, and more stress than I've ever given Dr. Fillmore in my life. But I have more than enough to start human trials, with Directorate approval."

"Then I'll be taking the 'more' of that portion. I'll leave you to produce what will be needed for Institute personnel after human trials prove successful.", the Director stated.

Out of the corner of her eye, she considered the Mark I synth sweeping along the edge of the room. She had become accustomed to the members of the Institute ignoring them, even though she didn't. She also didn't know how adept its sensors were, or its memory. Could it only navigate its environment and carry out commands? Or could it monitor her physiology and render a psychoanalysis based on that?

"Now then, in answer to your question.", the Director started. "I believe everyone is aware of the fact that I am from Vault 111 and had many adventures before and during the one that led me back to my son. Often, I would either be engaged by or be hired or pleaded with to engage one of the gangs colloquially referred to as 'raiders'. The Minutemen had collapsed and there wasn't any other agency offering order at the time, you see.

"One of these times, I happened to find these vials. I don't know...how they are put together or what is in the solution. I do know that the raiders I fought with that in their system exhibited a tremendous resilience as well as unbridled strength. I was fortunate enough to defeat them. After a fight with them, I gathered those vials from their store of loot and ill-gotten gains."

"And where did they get it from?", Holdren continued.

"If there was a facility that was carrying out pharmaceutical research like this pre-war, I'm sure it's bombed out by now. Let alone anyone who had that type of expertise would be dead by now."

Holdren objected. "But if I'm right about the anti-aging properties, then they could have a life-span to survive these centuries."

"But not the expertise.", the Director reminded. "I'm ex-military, entered the vault in excellent health and I usually traveled escorted. If you believe that someone who never picked up a weapon and dedicated their life to medicine could survive the initial roving marauders, radioactive hurricane of an inferno, collapse of law and economy leave alone the deathclaws, super mutants, feral ghouls and other should-nots that have mutated into existence over the centuries: well, you're a biochemist with access to much more advanced Institute weaponry. Why don't you give it a try? Say a week?"

"I see your point.", Dr. Holdren said. "It's just that if we had the initial research notes we would understand its purpose. Now, we're just reverse engineering."

"I sympathize with your plight, Dr.", the Director empathized. "But what can you do?

"Now, Dr. Binet. Is what I asked for completed?"

"And what did she ask you for, Alan?", Dr. Fillmore.

Dr. Madison spoke up. "She asked my department to redesign the Minutemen laser musket into something that wasn't a cobble together, jerry-rigged piece of junk. After this with Bioscience, I'm surprised she hasn't slapped something on your department's plate, Allie."

"My reactor is done.", Allie announced. "We're nearly twiddling our thumbs until one of you breaks something."

"Dr. Binet?", the Director reminded.

"Yes.", Alan acknowledged. "You wanted a way to blind study prove that even Mark III synths are not sentient and that no artificial intelligence or behavior yet developed is."

"Why would you task that?", Dr. Ayo asked.

"Two words: the Railroad.", she replied.

Dr. Holdren exclaimed. "But they're dead. You killed them all!"

"My son had me cut off the head of the snake.", she replied. "I was tasked with eliminating their leadership. Forcing them to take the time to reform. Well, that means that the organization would. And usually when a terrorist organization reforms after its most competent leaders are taken out, it comes back full of people too motivated by zealotry to be dealt with by anything other than retaliation. And that just inspires more hatred, revenge and a never ending cycle of War on Terror that ends up using civilian criminals as military target practice while suffering homeland casualties until an even greater global conflict puts their atrocities on the back burner.

"If I am going to rebuild the Commonwealth, I'd like it to not be one with a bunch of idealogues rampaging out of the shadows. So with a method to demonstrate that synths are only machines that can be used on sentient people (whether they're human, ghoul, Mark sixes in the future or whatever), I will be able to nip a lot of violence and wasted resources in the bud. Provided they make an appearance."

"And have you managed this?", Dr. Ayo inquired.

"I believe I have.", the head of Robotics stated. "While our Courser program uses the synths with the most potential, they're still synths. Comparing their problem solving and...I hesitate to call it 'creativity' to Julia's or Alice's actual behavior and the difference is obvious. At this stage, a written Turing test can be graded by ourselves can be used with a higher rate of probability than generating identical gigabyte random numbers."

"Good.", the Director stated.

"You sound like you're going to use it.", Dr. Fillmore pointed out.

"That's because I am.", the Director explained. "The General of the Minutemen is going to call out to any potential Railroad assets that remain in the field. I'm going to promise them safe passage for themselves and any so-called 'people' they dare bring to the test. I'll be padding the test group with random citizens and Minutemen as well. After judging the examined only by the test and test taker number and getting a one hundred percent determination between human and synth, they won't be able to garner any sympathy anywhere in the Commonwealth. Without safe haven, their organization will fail to become anything on its own."

"What if a synth passes the test?", Dr. Li asked.

"Not a chance.", Dr. Binet stated.

Dr. Ayo frowned. "Perhaps. However, we've both seen...behaviors that have made us question before. I concur with Dr. Li. What happens when one does pass?"

The Director cut in. "Your treating machines as if they are machines is based in the evidence that they are machines, yes?"

Dr. Fillmore shrugged. "Of course. We're scientists. All of our determinations are based on evidence."

Dr. Binet took up the conversation. "But the Director is right. Certainly, there are new members like Wallace and Cruz who would turn on a dime. And I suppose the children here would be able to 'learn new enough'. But there is a culture here of treating synths as tools. If we miss a synth in this test, then ethically we should test every snyth we have and deal with that 'person' should they be one."

Dr. Li frowned. "I remember a story I saw when I was young. It was about storing human souls in machines. The horror every human character had that motivated them to stop the crime was the thought of being turned into a machine. The ending note was about the horror of a machine being turned into a person."

"I agree.", Dr. Ayo nodded. "If X6-88, or any synth really, honestly backs out of taking the test because of programmed self-assessment, I can't really support 'forcing' them to 'prove' that they're 'real' and just 'wanting' to remain a machine."

The Director shook her head. "Any tool of the Institute will be used to further its aims, and repaired if malfunctioning. Any person attempting to avoid the responsibility of being alive...well, that's just criminal. The circumstances become extenuating rather than excusing at that point. If the initial run on the surface can find a single synth sentient, then we have a responsibility to order every synth to take the test. Regardless of any unintended behavior from fault programming."


	37. Build up - 15

1

"General?", Preston asked.

He had found her in the middle of the street, at the corner of the Third Rail and one of the former warehouses. For once, or at least one small moment, the General appeared as if caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"What are you doing here?", he asked.

Just before she could stutter, an arm wrapped around her.

"What? Can't stand the competition, Garvey?", Hancock asked jovially.

The General shrugged him off.

The Colonel still looked suspicious. "I didn't think any of us stood a chance against/"

"That's enough.", she told the two men.

The General straightened her coat. She also took a moment to glare at the Watchmen that was clearly too interested in things he shouldn't be.

"This is rather public, don't you think?", she asked.

Preston gestured to the warehouse, now bearing the familiar Minuteman flag.

"I have an office.", Hancock offered.

"This way, John.", the General commanded. And then she walked into the building flying her...the Minutemen's flag.

Once they were off the street, she seemed like her old self. "I am not ready to discuss my feelings about my husband, his fate or even the slightest consideration to another man. And that is without considering the fact that one of you is a subordinate in a militia I command and the other is an official in the government that militia protects. Is that understood?"

And just from the smirk on Hancock's face and the shift in Garvey's feet...

"Is. That. Under. Stood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good."

She breathed in deeply. "Now Hancock, you want to tell me why this is the warehouse you chose to grace us with?"

"Most everybody around here likes to eat.", the ghoul explained. "And since the supermutant attack, I figured we might one day need a vertibird to land where Goodneighbor can get at it. Our streets don't exactly make for open ground. So I looks at the places we have for you to set up and I give you the sturdiest. Except for the hole in the top floor, it's as good as..."

He looked into the General's gaze. "Well, as good as things get nowadays. What? Four floors ain't good enough for you?"

"Thank you.", the General said sincerely. "I would have stopped pestering you if we had a single room in the inn. You've managed to outstrip Home Base."

"Ha! Take that Diamond City.", Hancock celebrated.

The General nodded. "And Home Base cost me two thousand caps personally."

Preston's professionalism broke when he laughed at the look on the Mayor's face. "I could have _sold_ the building?"

"It just means you hold your people's best interests at heart."

"It means I'm a damn fool.", he groused.

"Preston.", the General attempted to change the subject. "What have we set up here?"

"We haven't.", he admitted. "An APC dropped by with our supplies for an office. And I've got Charles McKinney coming down to man it, since he spent some time in Goodneighbor."

"Charlie boy? I ain't seen him since...uh...", Hancock tried to remember.

"He gave me this to hand to you.", the Colonel announced.

Taking the handful of caps in hand, Hancocks tone changed as if performed. "Since he owed me these caps. Yeah. He, er, better had paid up before he showed his face around here again."

The General rolled her eyes.

Preston continued. "However, we have an entire building here. I've asked Colonel Shaw to allocate us an assortment of supplies, beds and food and water. It's easier to resupply Oberland Station from the Castle than here given the nature of downtown. I'm placing some more men here in case we have to mount a defense that Hangman's Alley or a patrol would take too long to respond to."

"And you're fine with that, Hancock?", the General asked. "A group of Minutemen stationed in Goodneighbor?"

The mayor shrugged. "I'm not so stupid as too think our walls are somehow better than Diamond City's, or that we don't keep the doors open at night. If your boys let the Neighborhood Watch take care of them while their in town, and their weapons on their straps, we shouldn't come to a disagreement. If'n they're all real boys."

Preston nodded. "Mark II synths have only be added to the mobile crews. They haven't even been issued to our settlements where there are civilians."

The General turned to Hancock. "What if someone was able to prove that a synth was alive. A living, thinking person: just like you or me?"

"Everybody I've stabbed to death was alive before I found a reason to stab 'em.", Hancock shrugged.

The General did not have a ready answer for that. "Well, if things are in hand here, I'm getting a drink."

The woman left the warehouse. The two remaining men looked at each other. "Alcohol? Her?"

2

The General nodded at Magnolia as she entered the Third Rail. The singer winked back without missing a sway to the beat. Rest of the crowd of drifters, people desperately trying to not look like criminals, and a few that were actively ignored everything that could have nothing to do with them.

She walked up the bar. "What'cha got for me, Whitechapel?"

The Mr. Handy turned to her. "Depends on what name you're goin' by nowadays, missus. 'Job seeker'? 'Our favorite Vault Dweller'? 'General'?"

"Thirsty.", she replied.

The machine could not actually show facial expressions or even shrugs. "Whatever you like. Got the best selection in the Commonwealth."

"Vim, Quartz, ice cold?"

"Not in the data banks, luv.", the machine responded.

"Nuka Cola Quartz?"

It turned away from the General. "That I may be able to drum up. Nothing to be done about the temperature though."

The General nodded. "Well, the times are tough all over."

When she was served, she opened the bottle, put the cap in her pocket and spun on the bar stool to face the crowd. Right into a Gunner.

"You need to watch where you're walking, sunshine.", she casually stated.

"I need to...", the Gunner gasped. The bald, white man adjusted his shades. "Maybe you don't know you're talking to. And if that's the case, there's a small chance you might live through this."

The General stood up and adjusted her hat of office. "I'd like to know every citizen in my Commonwealth. But when you're in command of so many soldiers, sometimes its better to be...known."

She punctuated her statement with a push against the Gunner at harness level.

"Gentlemen...er, people?", Charlie amped over his speakers. "I'm sure there's a way to settle this amicably."

Ham made his presence known. "Or at least, outside."

Both the General and the bald Gunner regarded the two. "Bah, it isn't worth it.", both said in unison as they turned away at the same time.

The General turned back to the bar. The man stormed out of the bar. Before the bouncer could speak again, the woman snapped out "Really, Ham?"

The ghoul thought about it. "No, ma'am.", he accommodated before returning to his post.

Eventually the bar returned to its active ignoring of everyone else. Only then did the woman walk out. Once she was in the empty stair well did she read the note that had been slipped into her pocket.

"Des agrees to terms IFF

1)Everyone she sends stays disguised.

2)You take the test too. Not just your men. You."

3

Deacon was holed up in a long abandoned hole in a building. He took the note out from under his harness.

"Turing test is go.

One week. The Castle."


	38. Build Up - 16

The General was still amazed at the macro level of recycling 'wastelanders' could pull off. The courtyard of the Castle was now arrayed with tables and benches, made from the wood from the stage that had stood for the inception of the government not so long ago. It was like nearly everyone could just look at an item and mentally break it down into base components and build it back up into finished items. Well, what passed for finished in this post-apocalypse.

"Alright, everyone!", she called out. "You know why you're here and the importance of this. So follow instructions. Follow the rules. Otherwise, a lot of people are going to be really hurt. Really quickly.

"For those of you who don't know, because I (and others) have mixed you in: the people and/or synths you see in white environmental suits are from the Institute. Just as you're in disguise to keep this test blind, so are they. They are proctoring this test under the watch of the Minutemen. If we need to discipline them or correct their course, I doubt that's going to be revealed to you in interest of keeping the test honest. React to that how you will.

"Your only identification is the number drawn on you by Minutemen personnel when you entered the Castle. It'll wash off. And you'll be issued three PURIFIED WATERs to do so.

"You all have been randomly rearranged before entering the Castle purposely. This is primarily to confuse the test. Some are indeed Mark III synths and you know what's at stake. If you're a person, welcome to the Commonwealth citizen. If any of the machines present are not, then the government will decide how to enforce the property rights of the Institute. Some are Minutemen selected by myself; possibly out of suspicion, possibly randomly, possibly because I think you'll be able to throw a kink in the Institute's proctoring. If so, think twice about the level of professionalism and discipline you want on display in front of me and the rest of the Commonwealth. Some are agents of the surviving Railroad, reformed under the command of codenamed-Desdemona. Whatever you believe you thought you were going to pull today, you are not. I would point out that no critical asset of the Institute is actually here in the Castle. I will point out that I personally put down the previous leadership of the Railroad.

"Your respect today has been bet on. By me, in risking the Castle for this test. By Desdemona, in fielding you. By the Institute in accepting that the possibility of even a single one of targets passing. If not, only Minutemen personnel have been openly allowed to carry weapons. Hence the security cordon complete with vertibird scouting overhead. If a test taker is armed and unauthorized, they will be personally eliminated and their results will be that they are indeed not sentient. Yes, that includes human test takers as well and will subject them to the same legal fate as any other piece of malfunctioning and/or stolen Institute property. If any of the Railroad or Institute volunteers are armed, I will immediately rule the results in the other's favor. If both are...well, the Commonwealth has had enough with infighting and the elimination of such elements will be applauded.

"If you have any remaining questions, that may or not may be intentional. Use your gut feeling, intuition and common sense to figure that out should you have any of those talents.

"Begin."

The Institute people (?) laid out thin plastic tablets in front of every participant. "You may begin when ready.", they reminded. "You have as much time as your biology allows. You will be counted as 'finished' if you are unconscious, regardless of cause."

One of the tested exclaimed. "Which color is prettiest? What the fuck?"

"Invalidate the question.", the General commanded the nearest Institute marked proctor.

The woman (?) shook her head. "We can't invalidate every question just because someone exclaimed it. Otherwise, we would have to invalidate the entire test on the basis of the exclamation alone revealed to the other participants that the question may or may not appear in their test and nearly certainly won't appear in sequence."

The General glared at her. "You're going to invalidate the question because it is clearly a biological test. Even if you're going to attempt to justify it with how the response to the question is formed is important, your tablets can only display so many colors. And given that the Institute designed the synths, you know how many colors their eyes are responsive to. And given that most humans only perceive color with three types of cone nerves by the varying levels of voltage stimulation of the electromagnetic waves of the light entering the eye, it is way to easy to make this a question of testing for anatomical differences than actual thought.

"Invalidate the question. And if any other question exists in this test that is of the same nature, invalidate them as well. If the lack of those questions or their lack in the sequence messes with your results, the _you_ should of thought about that before you tried this stunt."

The white concealed figure nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

The General sighed. After perusing the tables, she wandered over to a woman concealed in hooded clothing and a GAS MASK.

"So how goes running the Institute, Bullseye?", the woman asked.

"Well, it gets harder every day concealing exactly how much control I have from the Minutemen, if that's what you're asking.", the General answered. "How's the laser burns?"

Desdemona scoffed. "I'm no longer a c-cup, after pulling that Joan of Arc. But I wasn't planning on having children anyway."

"In all honesty.", the General began. "I did rig this in your favor as much as I could."

"Why do you think I sent Deacon to assassinate you?", Desdemona countered. "Glory wanted to just snipe you from the stands in Diamond City. But I could count on him to actually get close enough to make an assessment first. You, however, didn't give me any social wiggle room to say anything in your defense though.

"And if this goes through: your managing to take control of the Institute and have them actually agree a synth can be sentient? I'll accept you know what you're doing. And, if Deacon wasn't lying for once, the title of spymaster hippie."

The General winced. "It's 'colonel' actually."

The other woman nodded. "I was wondering what a hippie was."

"And if no one passes?", the first continued. "If the Institute can, without a doubt, differentiate between sentient thought and synth calculation despite a lack of biological or personally identifying information?"

"I've fought uphill battles with the Railroad compromised before.", Desdemona replied.


	39. Build Up - 17

1

"What do you mean that's what the results are?", Desdemona demanded.

2

"What do you mean that's what the results are?", Dr. Ayo demanded.

1 & 2

The General rubbed the bridge of her nose. "You can either accept the results or you can accept the alternatives. And their consequences.

"You rigged this test as heavily in your favor as you could. And you failed.

"Fortunately for everybody, this works out in everybody's favor. Because I've accounted for it.

2

"So you expect us to abide by this?", Li asked.

The Director scoffed. "That's the Brotherhood talking."

"And your attempt to act like these machines are people is the Railroad talking!", she replied.

"It's the science talking.", the younger woman asserted. "Isn't that what the Institute abides by? Isn't that what I, as Director, should be concerned with?"

"Binet/"

"Binet has designed the very synths we're talking about. If their behavior shows not only as sentient but unpredictably so, even to the entirety of Robotics, indistinguishable from our own then there's no more evidence that they're machines."

Binet objected.

1

"What about the others?", Desdemona objected.

"They didn't pass.", the General stated. "The deal was a fair test. You got it. All above board. And not one of the machines you brought in here passed. They all responded to stimuli just as their design specifications dictated.

"Including the ones you've mind wiped. You know, the ones the Institute can't have the psych evals or personality profiles of. Because that's exactly why you gave them new memories. To evade exactly this."

The spymaster reminded. "But you said that two passed."

"Neither of which were yours. Or should I say, the Institute's property that you obsconded with when they malfunctioned.", the General stated. "Not Glory, who you should have known better than to try. Really? An ex-Courser who when granted the opportunity to do whatever she would decided to be a semi-clandestine combat operator for an underground organization. I was impressed that you managed to find K4-90 though: I never thought I'd see him again after he chose to confide in the humans he called his friends. Then it turns out he was designed solely for companionship and sex ed training and its systems couldn't keep from being absolutely honest with anyone. It's why you cut him loose from the Railroad isn't it?"

"But two passed!", Desdemona repeated.

"They were my people. And I expect you to thank me."

2

"We're not thanking you for this.", Binet finished.

"Sure you are.", the Director told him. "It provides opportunities.

"Because now your field can advance beyond what you thought possible, sooner than you ever imagined. Psychology, A.I., pathway design... Singularity could invent a sentient beyond ours. And if we are to compete in this universe, it will have to be at the best capacity we can obtain. Our sentience will have to be matched, if not mimicked, before that's possible.

"Because it offers the chance to show the entire Commonwealth reform. By acknowledging the synths that pass have a right to citizenship, you show a whole new side of the Institute. One that's judging itself, and taking care not to fall into its old ways. Because eventually we are going to have to do something that isn't going to pass mustard with the Commonwealth. And an Institute that's seen as having turned over a new leaf and willing to judge itself and its past misdeeds harshly is going to have a lot more credibility denying an incident we can cover up or claiming we can correct a situation that we cannot.

"And finally, because it was the deal. We now have control of the Railroad.

1

"You're calling everyone I've been fighting for property and you expect me to follow your command?", Desdemona exclaimed.

"Yes.", General answered. "That was the deal. We test the synths for sentience. If someone makes it, they're a citizen of the Commonwealth. And in exchange, the Railroad is now under the command the Minutemen.

"So there may be some small ceremony as Sheriff Curie is formally acknowledged as the first artificial life form that is a full fledged member of the Commonwealth. And I assure you, that's the only one that will be any time soon.

"But I am not unkind. Because I believe that I've realized the key to true sentience for these people. So there will be testing for every synth. And every synth that says they want freedom will be monitored for potential sentience, given time and opportunity to develop that sentience, and granted citizenship should it achieve a level of real thought. After all: we don't ask babies to be kings.

"Nor am I stingy. Yes, you will expose every single synth you've taken into custody. However - any synths that aren't mimicking criminal behaviors can be allotted to my Intelligence Colonel as necessary equipment. Glory serves no one in a box. The unit she is now _could_ end up serving her future self just as well as the rest of the Commonwealth in the meantime.

"Now. Is the Railroad going to keep its end of the bargain? Or are you going to put all your people and your synths directly in the line of fire of a public Institute, the entire Minutemen and a populace that doesn't trust you? Because I would much rather have the Institute understand that there is another layer of responsibility in generating a Mark III synth. I'd much rather have Minutemen not running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

"And if you won't think of the Commonwealth, think of your goals. Civil rights at the option of peace and the threat of violence often come so much faster than at the point of violence. The Kennedys' surrender to Martin Luther King Jr. in the light of Malcolm X. The LGBT movement's rise after its rash of riots came to an end. Whereas the Civil War didn't really give rise to a successful Reconstruction - instead it gave birth to the Redemption."

Desdemona pointed out, "Not all of us have a 21st century education. You're after me because I'm much more knowledgeable about current events.

"But we'll do things your way.

"I do want to know. Who was the other success."

The General shook her head. "Already dead. So it doesn't matter anymore. But more than that, I actually can't tell you."


	40. Build Up - 18

Author's Notes: With the end of the arc, how about another upkick in reviews? I can't have done the last two perfectly.

And "Guest"? Now, just now, you thought something fishy was going on?

1

"Mayor Faraday.", she announced herself.

The synth looked up to her. "General? What brings you here?

"For that matter, what's in the box?"

The General took a deep breath of Acadia's stale air. It somehow carried the scents of it being both antique and manufactured. Dust that was truly dust and no longer shaken off skin. Metal and its protective paints and its aged rust. She was glad to let the synths have it.

As long as they made sure she got what she needed. It was the same deal she was offering to everyone else. That's...equal.

The General started. "I need you to help others rebuild DiMA."

And there it went.

"You...you...you've got some nerve.", Faraday stuttered aghast. "You come in here and throw all his dirty laundry in his face. Then you talk him into suicide."

The General shook her head. "I didn't tell him to die."

"Yes, you did!", Faraday countered. "You convinced him to go to Far Harbor and they shot him in the street. I was trying to remind him of how much we needed him. How much Acadia stood and fell with him. That was you.

"And now you come back here when you need him. Well he isn't here anymore, thanks to you. So you can't have him."

"Oh, I'm going to have him.", the General stated.

The scientist crossed his arms. "And why do you think that?"

"Because DiMA would want me to.", she answered. And finally, the synth let her speak.

"The Institute is the greatest threat to Acadia. And I've told you before, that in exchange for your city's joining up that I would change that. And I am.

"The next step is getting the Institute to recognize that your people here (or at least things like them) can be sentient. We're doing...The Minutemen are running a Turing test the Institute has. We're blinding it by disguising some humans from the force. The Railroad...have you heard of the Railroad?"

"Yes. Even though the Railroad doesn't know about us, nearly a third of our people here/"

"The Railroad's also obfuscating the synths taking the test with their own people."

"The problem is that none of you are going to pass."

Faraday scoffed. "Then why bother with a test that the Institute was going to rig anyway."

"The Institute isn't going to rig the test.", she stated. "I'm making sure of that. I'm just not convinced that any of you are sentient. What did you do back at the Institute? IT? Because that's the pattern I've been finding. The apple not falling far from the tree. Ex-coursers becoming anti-terrorists. Medical mechs doing nothing but. All within the realm of malfunctioning A.I."

The synth objected. "Humans do what they know, too."

"All but DiMA - he was designed for the sake of it. With capacity. And after his escape, he didn't just subject himself again. He thought. And for a long time. What I'm thinking is that that's the key that kicks an A.I. into sentience. But I don't have that many A.I.s that have as much self-contemplation. Curie, sure."

"Curie?"

"A Ms. Nanny that had finished her task cycle. After 83 years trapped in a box, she realized that she wasn't starting new research because she lacked the sentient 'inspiration' needed for actual invention. After her memories were transferred to a mind-dead mark III, she came up with a new problem definition and solution while interacting with a whole host of other things in my travels. She's still a medic, though. I don't want to play the Institute for all the marbles on her.

"If I can recreate DiMa, then the Institute can't know what hit them. He's a prototype that was never redone, so they have no record set to compare his behavior to. His stupid choices as well as his smart ones showcase his personality and its uniqueness. And even if the Institute has managed to spy on me or this place or Far Harbor: well, he's dead and they know it.

"He can beat this test. I just need to pull him out of the past for a week."

Faraday shook his head as if to clear his hearing. "You're going to resurrect him just to murder him again."

"The peace with Far Harbor demands it.", the General stated. "No one can really know, much less prove, that he ever lived again. But he'd...he has, sacrificed everything for you. I just need for him to do it one more time."

Faraday leaned back against the machines that lined and filled what used to be the observatory. "How?"

The General then opened her box. "This is the most recent edition of the Mark II synth. I've embezzled one from the Minutemen's motor pool. You have DiMA and all his memories backed up on the machines here. I just need you to mark out the hardware. The Memory Den in Goodneighbor is the Railroad asset that cast memories into escaped synths, and she's done it with a Mark II and human interactive cybernetics. I'll cover my presence there with the appearance of checking up on my Colonel of Personnel. He'll think that I'm really there to see a romantic rival of his with me."

"And when someone finds out the truth?", Faraday asked.

"Then they'll find out that I'm arranging the Railroad to actually bring escaped synths to the Castle to actually test. I am meeting one of their agents there for a hand off.", she replied.

"Even the Railroad's left hand won't know what the right is doing. They're so idealogically motivated that their loyalty can be compromised. Since exposing DiMA would expose not only the best strategy to beat the Turning test, but also compromise the synth he's planted; even the Railroad asset that'll get his memory in the new body will keep quiet."

The General did not explain the _other_ that she was visiting the Memory Den.

"What about the other that DiMA escaped with? Valentine?"

"No good.", the General replied. "Nick's memories are actually recorded from a pre-war human. It risks the 'ghost in the machine' argument. That human brains can build sentience but synth minds can't. So only synths that were once human can be considered people. I need an A.I. all the way down. And preferably one that was only synth - another reason not to push every hope onto Curie."

"So you're spending everything you can to bring back our founder just to kill him again. You're having us abide by a constitution ratified by others and keeping us secret from them. And you're denying the right of my citizens to even compete for their own freedom.", Faraday summed up.

The General nodded. "Don't forget that I'm going to thrust you into the lime light as soon as I think the Institute needs you as part of the Commonwealth instead of under thumb."

2

"Congratulations are in order.", the General greeted.

A cloaked and hooded figure turned to her. It's golden lit eyes held the weight of a century in them. They seemed even brighter in the passages that ran under the Castle.

"So I've passed.", DiMA confirmed.

"Two of you.", the General informed. "Curie actually did it."

"So you didn't need me in the end.", DiMa understood. "Does this make it easier or harder for you to go through with our plan?"

"You don't have to call it _our_ _s._ ", the General admonished. "This time, it really is me killing you."

The synth shook his head. "I disagree. Ever since I agreed to it. And now, according to the Institute's test, I understood it. As soon as I went along with it then it was our plan to save my people. Including my second death. Never doubt, I am choosing this...General."

The General put her hand on his shoulder. "It's time.

"But you do deserve an answer. Even if it's only going to be recorded in the storage devices from Acadia instead of actually thought about. I've spent a lot of ammunition since thawing out and finding myself in this world. Some out of revenge. A lot out of fear and survival. Some even to just incur the good will of some factions like the Minutemen and the Institute and others to destroy a faction in the case of the Brotherhood of Steel. I'd hate to say it...but I'm not going to regret killing you. But I am going to regret that it's so familiar."

DiMA nodded. He removed his clothing and lay down on one of the shelves of ammunition. "Doctor Amari assured that this machine would take my new memories down so that they can be added to the collection at Acadia. Even though this body's mind will be wiped, at least the memory will be stored for prosperity. You may activate when you are ready."

DiMA had his mind recorded and wiped by the General. And once the unit was returned to a simple combat drone, the General shot the data collection devices. No matter what she and Amari had told him, Far Harbor could not be risked to have proof of his return.


	41. The Destruction of the Forged - 1

"Allow me to introduce the commander of the newest branch of the Minutemen.", the General announced.

The woman in the leather jacket pulled off her gas mask. This was the first time any of the other colonels saw her face. The closed door meeting in the General's office of the Castle was...let us say private and not classified. If some Minutemen would right now, honestly, swear that Colonel Brandis or Admiral Zao were asleep in their bunks then that would have to be investigated at some later date.

"This is Desdemona.", the General began. "She was the pro-temp leader of the reconstituted Railroad. An organization that is hereby defunct. All of its personnel and equipment, however that's defined, are hereby integrated into the intelligence branch of the Minutemen. For ease, you can refer to the new branch as the Railroad. You know - colloquially. Officially, it's 'Intelligence'. Just as much as Zoa's crews are 'Navy' and Brandis' are 'Motor Pool'."

"uh...huh.", Brandis acknowledged.

"On one hand, everything about the Railroad will be classified. Its members. Its equipment. And every synth that it is...using as observers."

"Observers?", Preston asked.

"Operators. Heavies. Spies.", the General explained. "The Railroad will report to me. I will know all of its assets. But as an intelligence agency, it will be covert. It will be secret.

"That does not mean a lack of accountability.

"Firstly, the Railroad cannot attack any, and I do mean _any_ , Commonwealth citizen. In the event that does happen, that asset will be immediately turned over from the Colonel of Intelligence to the Colonel of Personnel. Discipline won't be by the Railroad or people that have served with the offender. As a side effect, even the event of accusation will be a permanent blow to the operative's cover. Anyone accused of being a Railroad operative will not be. Even if that means 'no longer' and they're proven innocent - in that case, they'll be integrated into the rest of the Minutemen. If they choose to continue serving.

"Secondly, the Railroad will be incorporated into the chain of command. Colonel Desdemona/"

"Does she have a first name? Or is that last?", Colonel Shaw asked.

Desdemona shrugged. "It's a call sign. The real name of Railroad assets are classified."

"Really?", Ronnie asked.

"No, my mother researched enough Shake-spear to name me 'ill-starred wench' all on her own.", the newly commissioned Colonel replied.

"Before we get off on truly the wrong foot.", the General admonished.

"Intelligence will be integrated into the chain of command. Unfortunately, due to its clandestine nature, that chain will also be classified."

"So how are we supposed to know who these people are?", Preston began. "Leave alone whether or not they're doing anything. Or still exist."

The General nodded. "We've decided that."

"Every asset that you are made aware of will be known as an 'agent'.", Desdemona declared. "When we, the General's Colonels, meet I will debrief with whatever I know. If there is a need for us to work with other Minutemen forces, either myself or the General will give a code phrase and a call sign to the most convenient command of the unit. For example, if we have a need for an agent to commandeer an APC then I will tell Colonel Brandis the agent's call sign, any protocol, and password to recognize. Brandis will choose the crew for the mission. The agent will brief the crew. I, or should I be removed from duty by death or decision then my successor, will brief the General. Before and after whatever mission."

Brandis glared at the two women. "So you've managed to set this up. The Railroad is now our intelligence branch. The Institute is one of the communities under our protection. Why do you think any of this is going to fly?"

Desdemona returned the glare.

The General offered. "Synths are just eligible for citizenship as anyone else. In light of the fact that children don't vote, APCs don't direct their own careers and turrets aren't celebrated for their contributions: only sentient synths will be recognized as citizens of the Commonwealth and have those rights respected in whatever community they happen to travel to or reside in. Otherwise...the fact that communities, like the Institute, choose their own residents will mean that machines are just that. Even if 'future' residents and citizens are going to be allowed the opportunity to develop something that could be called thought. And also treated in such a manner that the resultant people can see their creators as more parents than oppressor.

Desdemona took over at that point. "If you would like my qualification of this arrangement, here it is.

"The Forged are actually holed up in Saugus Iron Works. Usually, they're out enticing raiders to forsake their gang and fools to give up their families for a chance at joining them. These recruiting missions are how the Forged get a lot of their income. They never really expand due to sacrificing members that don't measure up, particularly new recruits that were brought in just for what material gains and supplies they could offer, to 'the forge'. Meaning that despite getting vats hot enough to melt metal again, they're only using them to dissolve what doesn't burn the people they push into them.

"But since they're all there, that means that they're at maximum strength. Sure, the Forge have a few new recruits that they're finding reason enough to kill off. But that means that all their look out points are manned: in the parking lot and on the roof. The three main production areas of the plant are going to thick with Forged as well.

"On the other hand, there's no one outside to flank you or reinforce. And no matter how obsessed they are at becoming 'the toughest gang around', the Forged don't really pay attention to what's not right in front of them. They've shown no signs of anticipating being a Minutemen target despite their proximity to the Slog and Finch's. Their attention is, as always, on the Gunners across the river from them.

"The Gunner consider themselves professional though. Considering the size of the force needed to take the foundry to begin with, I doubt they're going to interfere."

"Does that satisfy?"

"Okay, then.", Brandis acknowledged. "When do we move?"


	42. The Destruction of the Forged - 2

"Colonel Brandis.", the General greeted.

She stepped down from the APC that had brought her to Finch Farm. She shook his hand as he greeted.

"Can I speak to you for a moment? Privately.", he asked. When she turned her head, "The crews at the Slog won't be ready to move out for another hour."

The General nodded. "Alright."

The two made there way to the top of a metal shanty building behind the Finch home. Resting under the highway and shadowing the mechanical water purifiers, it was about as obscured as anything was a Finch Farm. Like most of the erected structures to house new settlers, it had roof access. Unlike others, someone had found what she once considered tacky lawn furniture and placed an odd number of chairs beneath a soon to be torn umbrella.

Sitting in one of those chairs, the General preempted Brandis. "You of all people should suspect that I don't like too much of the command gathering in so open a space. Not only does it threaten the Minutemen as a whole but it puts civilians between us and those who would view it as a target. But if you're not coordinating crews from the hangar while I'm leading the charge..."

"...then what I have to say shouldn't be spoken over radio frequencies.", the Colonel finished.

"Yeah, I got to thinking about this op. Well, not the op itself. The Forged are too dangerous to remain. We have more than adequate forces to take them out. And you're completely right in that the Foundry itself is going to be a great asset. And I yes, I do mean in keeping some of the interested communities in line like the Atom Cats and Vault 81.

"But I've seen how you operate up close for a bit now. You're always trying to think three steps ahead. And you make damn sure that people only see what you want them to see."

The General objected. "I can't walk people into the Institute. Not yet."

"I'm not talking about the Institute. Or at least in particular. Add in that you've defeated the Mechanist and forbidden the Minutemen from claiming the victory. That no one knows who the synths are that passed that test that got the Institute to even abide your whole citizenship for machines posture.

"And no one has a reason to question any of it. A citizen has the right to their own business, and whether they're a synth or not certainly qualifies. The announcement that the Rust Devils have been destroyed was more than enough and shows that saving up the announcement of the Mechanist is going to prove useful. Hell, I'm itching to start cranking new parts out of Saugus Ironworks myself.

"But it does mean that you don't forget to think about things."

The General shifted in her seat and recrossed her legs. "What do you think I'm thinking of and not revealing?"

Brandis took in a breath. "We've been considering what response we're going to get from the Gunners during this battle to destroy the Forged. But you haven't said anything about a permanent plan for the Gunners. By the end of today, you should have eliminated the threat of the Institute, the Rust Devils, the Railroad and the Forged to Minutemen operations. You're obviously making a list and checking it twice. There's no way the Gunners aren't on that list."

The General's WRAPAROUND GOGGLES reflected Brandis' concerned expression. "Thank you for not raising this over the radio. There's no need for the Gunners to hear such thoughts. And we can nearly guarantee the mercenaries have the capability to listen in to our non-encrypted broadcasts.

"How many of the other colonels have consulted you about such thoughts?"

The old man shrugged. "No one yet. I think they're all so enamored with you that they don't really think past what you've put in front of them."

"Are you going to keep it that way?", the woman asked.

"Oh don't you dare do that.", Brandis warned. "As soon as you ensure a person is going to shut up, you don't let them in on anything that you're thinking and end the conversation. If I'm going to be getting your armor ready for when you actually do go after the Gunners then I need to know things."

The woman nodded and slumped in her chair. "And you'll get that when I figure it out.

"In all honesty, I'm probably procrastinating. I have ideas. Contingency plans. Even offensives laid out.

"But make no mistake. The Gunners have defeated the Minutemen before, at Quincy. The Gunners have an organized force that's embedded deeply into Commonwealth territory. Numbers, experience, command...all of these things are going to make them a nightmare to deal with. We need to have all of the ducks in a row before biting into that bad apple. And not just ours.

The General continued in a softer voice. "Even today against the Forged. I've faced Gunners in the field by myself, sometimes with someone else to watch my back. But never as a commander of forces. I don't want them gaining that type of information. I would like them to not know anything of our operation against the Forged - no APCs, no Mark IIs, no upgraded laser muskets, nothing.

"But their vantage point across the river makes that impossible. I even considered hitting it at the same time. But even if there wasn't just a straight escape or radio signal fired off that said we had taken the Auto Wreckers, the mere coincidence of not being there since the same day as the Forged would allow the Gunners to put one and one together. Right now, they are a trouble that the unscrupulous are hiring. But changing their motivation from money to survival will put us in open warfare across the entire Commonwealth."

Brandis chuckled. "I noticed you didn't say 'would' but said 'will'."

The General sighed. "Let's just clean up the Forged today, Colonel."


	43. The Destruction of the Forged - 3

There were plenty of Minutemen at the Castle today. Crews that had taken part in the liberation of Saugus Ironworks Foundry were celebrating a bit too early.

1

"I'm telling you.", a woman said around her beer. She was seated with another APCs crew in the mess hall of the Castle. "My boys are coming upon the foundry. Before we even can spill out the back, the General has walked - literally, walked, up to the line and fires off like four or five shots with that big ass pistol of hers."

"You mean the one she took from the cybernetic mercenary the underground mad scientists employed to kidnap her son?", another asked while hanging on every word.

"Yeah, yeah.", the Minuteman agreed. "And I kid you not, it was straight head shots. Each and every one of them. And then she takes off like it was nothing. The Forged weren't on the ground either. From ground to roof top, just pop-pop-pop."

2

"And then the General comes running up to my APC, right?" a man was telling another APC's driver. "Now I'm thinking that I was getting the easy duty, like my crew hasn't been pulling our weight. And now the General runs up and starts yelling at me? My Private's getting a promotion and I'm getting a one way ticket to guarding the fence at Oberland Station."

The driver objected. "But you're here now?"

The man took another swig of moonshine. "Right? She comes up and yells at me, 'The password is Bumblebee and the agent is Slag'. I say, 'What?' I mean, I'm completely off guard here. But it's the General. So I straighten up. "Ma'am. I mean, what? What ma'am?'. And she grabs me by the armor. 'The password is Bumblebee and the agent is Slag.' So I'm all salutes and 'Yes, ma'am. The password is 'Bumblebee and the agent is slag'.

Then she runs off back to the foundry building. We still haven't laid any cover fire, suppression fire, nothing. She literally reaches through a broken glass window and drags out a guy. She takes off, the General I mean, and the guy runs up to me. I don't know him from President Avery and he's decked out like the rest of the Forged. You know - the guys we came there to clear out? And then he sticks his hand out to shake and says, all very proper and what not, 'I'm Agent Slag. The password is 'bumblebee'. I understand that you're my ride out.'"

3

"So the artillery is just dropping on the asphalt with the car wrecks.", a Minutemen taking up way too much of the stairs to the top of the Castle's wall told his audience. "Boom, boom boom."

"You mean the parking lot? Yeah, we saw all that. Cleared out nearly all of the defense outside the building besides that damn sniper on the rooftop.", a woman interrupted.

"But did you see the General walk out of it?"

There was maybe three quarters of a second of absolute silence. Then a roar of protest.

"I am telling you the absolute truth. She chucks the smoke. And then she charges through the parking lot. And the Forged were all just staring at her, like it's her fault that they're not opening fire. And then it just rains explosions. But she's just listening to that thing on her wrist."

"Her Pipboy?"

"That's it. She's got an ear and an eye to the thing and it's just telling her when and where artillery strikes are coming. Finch's Farm hit first, but the farthest away from the door. But then she's running toward the line and just behind her lights up with the Slog. By the time any Forged left alive try to take aim, it's like they're getting their own personal gift from an avenging angel above."

"Then what?"

"So she makes it to the line we've setup on the other side of the - what did you call it, parking lot - and asks us: 'Are you going to leave all the dying to the snyths?' Because we're standing around like idiots and our Mark IIs are already getting up to charge the Foundry.

4

"And that's why we all burst in the door like a pack of glowing deathclaws.", a Minutemen repairing his armor told the man next to him working on his knife.

"We barely fit through that door. It's like we were ready to be nail in a fence but it turned out we were a wave on a sand castle. Forged were dropping like rad-rabbits. And standing in the middle of it all like she would have walked in and did it herself if she had to was the General.

5

"Shut up.", Piper told the Minuteman.

"But I was just giving you the story.", he objected.

The journalist scoffed. "You were giving me a story alright. I get that she's inspiring. I get that it seems like she did the impossible by bringing the Commonwealth together. But you're not doing her a service with going along with all the wild exaggerations about her.

"The General doesn't get radiation poisoning from swimming and that's how she met Admiral Zhoa. The General can has a gun that can fire two bullets from one round. The General fought a power armor the size of a building to defeat the Brotherhood of Steel. The General found the guy running the Forged who was decked out in power armor except for a helmet and hit him right between the eyes with every shot left in her revolver."

The Minuteman huffed. "But she did!"

"Look.", Piper commanded. "I traveled around with Blue just after she showed in Diamond City. She's competent...incredible even. But she's still believable. I've seen her in action. So until you're through tall taling Paul Bunyan back from the bombs, leave me alone and let me talk to someone who's willing to make a bit of sense.

"Like that guy on the stairs. People seem to be listening to him."


	44. The Destruction of the Forged - Last

"Quit all that bangin', Sturges.", Mama Murphy said from her special chair inside the house that had Sanctuary's workshop attached. "The General's comin' on the radio."

Sturges sighed. The man set down his hammer in the workbench and walked inside.

"Listen, Murphy.", he began. "I haven't received any word and I'm the Sherrif of Sanctuary. You don't talk to the provisioners. You don't even talk to Carla when she comes to town. How in the world do you think you know that the General's going to be on the radio?"

The old lady turned to him and with all seriousness stated, "Because she cooled off the hot ones."

Sturges threw up his hands.

The colonial tune that was playing came to an end. And then a voice started speaking.

"This is Radio Freedom. We go off our regular schedule to bring you a special message from the General. Please stand by."

Sturges threw up his hands again. But this time he sat down and just shook his head while Mama Murphy smiled.

The General's voice poured out of the radio. "Citizens of the Commonwealth. It is the interest of the Minutemen to ensure the safeguard of that Commonwealth; and all the people within.

"To safeguard your rights, I've ensured that your local leaders have seen to a common government. No community, not Diamond City nor the Institute, has any more influence over other communities than they see themselves. Every community, no matter how small, has over sight and also protection of the Minutemen in full.

"To safegaurd your persons, we have already announced the destruction of the Rust Devils. Their robot augmented raids are a terror no more. And the cost of their presence will drain no one ever again.

"And if someone doubts our commitment to the Commonwealth, they can walk outside the Great Wall of Diamond City and ask the encircling siege of super mutants _their_ opinion.

"The Minutemen perform these duties, not because they are easy nor because they are hard but because they are needed. Every time I look in the eyes of one of the children being brought up in the Commonwealth, I'm reminded of how precious my own son was to me. Not just because he was my family. But because of the hope for the future he represented. The idea of continuing on and making the world into some place worth living and all the other dreams we entrust to the next generation.

"The times ahead will, for quite some time, be just as difficult -if not more so- than the times we have already been through. Each challenge we overcome does not make the next any less daunting. Nor does it ensure that there will never be tough, lean, or mean times ahead. But they are challenges to meet and obstacles to overcome.

"But when there is good news, I will be the first to congratulate the Minutemen who accomplished it. And today, the [static] of [static], the Commonwealth has an opportunity to do so. This special broadcast is to announce the anhilation of the criminal cult know as the Forged. No longer will they hunt your sons and daughters for sacrifice. No longer will they continue to coerce others into a life of a parasite, stealing all the value their loved ones worked a lifetime to build only to fuel the next evil.

"Now the Foundry can be a source of good rather than an outpouring of evil. The Foundry is being placed under the chain of command of Colonel Brandis as untrained civilians of Minutemen settlements may endanger themselves with the yet to be inspected technology there. However, we do have a list of projects from several communities and will be seeing to these work orders as time, safety and resources allow.

"I'm certain there are a lot of citizens out there happy to hear of some of the replacement parts being planned for.

"But I ask everyone in the Commonwealth to be stingy with their optimism and abundant in their discipline despite our continuing victories. I am sure that there will be other crises that we will face. And they will require a strong citizen. One that can endure hardships of labor and scarcity. One that supports the dream of a Minutemen protected Commonwealth filled with free thinkers and free citizens.

"Because the Minutemen are not in the business of allowing dangers to flourish. The Minutemen are not here to allow criminals to run rampant. Where there is harm to the Commonwealth, there is harm to me. And I do not believe I have left the impression that anyone wants to test me or my drive to put the world back together to make it a better place."


	45. Triggermen Surrender - 1

"Eager Ernie, you son of a bitch!", Skinny Malone greeted. "How you been?"

"Pulling way to many caps for you to be demanding me down where the sun don't shine.", the mobster replied.

Marwoski snarled. "Stow it.

"I know you hate taking your eye off business. So do I. But this business. And if Skinny wasn't makin' as much sense as he is, I'd've whacked him myself. So sit down and shut up until someone tells you otherwise."

There were a few benches pulled together in the middle of the atrium of Vault 114. Seated were all the heavy hitters. Marwoski and Trish. Skinny Malone, with the dame of the week standin' behind him and Dino by his side.

Ernie sat down. "Alright, I'm listenin'."

Malone started again. "Now that we're all here, we can talk business. And right now, there's only one advent in this here Commonwealth that needs our attention.

The General and her Minutemen."

Ernie scoffed. "I should have known you'd put on a show like this only to make it about some girl."

"It ain't like that!", Malone shouted. After straightening his TUXEDO, he continued.

"Before she came on the scene, things were dangerous but predictable. And we had a steady profit."

"We still do.", Marwoski interrupted.

"You too?", Skinny asked.

"No. I understand.", Marwoski stated. "I just want hims here to know that this is on the level, because he's gonna hate it the most."

Ernie glanced between the two. "Hate what?"

"I'm gettin' to that part." Skinny assured. "The General, she comes outta no where and the whole game has changed. The Minutemen are back and proclaimin' themselves to be the second coming of godalmighty. The Institute's co-op-er-a-tive. And of all the people that tried to muscle in on her turf, the Brotherhood of Steel wasn't big enough.

"Now she's declared war on criminals. The Rust Devils are pushing up daisies. The Forged are sleeping with the fishes. Who do you think she's gonna put in her little black book next?"

Ernie fell silent. His mind would only let him come to one conclusion. "So what? You want my approval for war, or just a hit?"

"You idiot!", Marwoski exclaimed. "You think it's just that easy? Them Minutemen cleared out more super mutants than you got hitters. The Castle's harder to get into than this vault. You always were a bird brain - violence ain't the answer.

"And I know that burns goin' down, but choke it down you will. That dame hit me for 2000 caps and don't nobody take me for 2000 caps but I'm keepin' a level head. And a level head says it's thinking time when the map of the local turf starts filling up with X-es instead of enemies and customers."

"So what are you two geniuses proposing?", Ernie asked.

"You can either beat 'em or join 'em.", Malone told him. "And unless you're sitting on enough robots to power through a line of power armor and the actual working ve-hicles that bring 'em, I think you're gonna agree that joining is the better bet."

Ernie looked at him like Malone had just grown another head. "Join? The Minute-freaking-men? What about me every said "Yessir, nosir, rightwaysir, to the likes of you?"

Trish smiled before starting up in her raspy, injured, ghoul voice. "That's the brilliance of Malone's play. The Minutemen have been selling the idea of a unified government for every community for a little bit now. We don't gotta join the Minutemen."

And then Ernie realized. "We just have to announce an independent community. We get Minutemen protection and our rackets. Or else, the house of cards they built on 'being the good guys' will fall all around them."

"Exactly.", Malone pointed at him. "But now comes the bitter pill to swallow. And this pills just for you. Before I even tell you what it is, I want to let you know that every last one of the dons has already agreed. And like it or lump it, you will swallow."

Ernie dismissed it. "I don't care what I have to pay in. I know how it goes. But I'm about to get my own little kingdom of the racetrack all officiated and what not. What couldn't I swallow."

Then he saw their hard stares. "Oh, you better not be about to say something likes I think yous might be about to start saying."

Marwoski spoke first. "For this to work, we need to be a community. Like Diamond City or Goodneighbor. And that means all in one spot. Not over in my hotel room. Not down in the cannery. All in one spot."

"And for my money, between a dusty old pile of irradiated dirt and this fancy vault, I'll take the vault any day.", Trish agreed.

Malone attempted to sound concillatory. "You have to understand, this is the only way the play'll fly."

"The hells with yous guys.", Ernie told them. "You think that I'm giving up all my pull because you're afraid of some blast from the past dame, then you've lost all your marbles."

"I'll cut you in.", Marwoski told him.

"What?", the table exclaimed.

"Look.", Marwoski expounded. "I saw this coming in. And I bet Malone did too. If we get Minutemen protection instead of enmity and no profits, then that means no profits. The chem game is still the biggest game we got. And if I move my operation to vault 114, there ain't no way I'm going to be able to keep your grubby fingers out of it anyways. But in exchange, I Malone's plan & coverage. So I'm willing to cut you in on the chem game.

"Now make no mistake, I'm the boss of you not you the boss of me. And I want all them raiders that ain't gonna have no races to be chemmed outta their minds, with you being the pusher.

"But there's a good future for all of us here if we play our cards right. Instead of Minutemen hasslin' us, they'll be bound to keep the roads clear for my...our chems. Nobody'll come knockin' on our door first when it's time for the king's head to fly and if they do, it'll be a vault door with all of our boys behind it.

"So what do you say, Ernie? You gonna be wise or are you gonna be a hard head and make things unpleasant?"

Ernie looked around to the other dons and considered their amassed forces. "I'm gonna make things plenty unpleasant. But you can cut me in."


	46. Triggermen Surrender - 2

1

The General turned to her other side. Piper placed her hand on her shoulder but before she could her back over, the elder (by nearly two hundred years) shrugged her off. "I think I need to hear this."

The radio barely glew in the dark. "Travis 'Lonely' Miles, interrupting the nights musical interludes with a surprising interview. Tonight I happen to have a self-identified representative of Vault 114. Ms. Trish?"

"Representative Trish.", the ghoul's voice rasped out of the radio. "Now that the Commonwealth has an actual government, Vault 114 is looking forward to joining the greater community."

"Oh hell no.", the General cursed. The woman got off the bed in Piper Wright's loft above her sister's at Public Occurrences and immediately started checking her pistols.

"Blue.", Piper was ignored. "Blue!"

"What?", the General challenged.

"You wanna cover up before you shoot up half the town?"

The General fumed as she pulled her overcoat on while uncaringly waking up Nat on the way out.

"Wha? What's happening."

"Fire up the press.", her sister told her while hobbling down the stairs and pulling on a boot. "We're about to have news."

2

"Triggermen are a dangerous criminal organization and it is the duty of the Minutemen to eliminate threats to the Commonwealth wherever they are found.", the General told Trish. Over the barrel of the .44 pressed against the ghoul's forehead.

The General cocked the hammer with one hand as she held the over coat to her uniform closed with the other. Now that it wasn't over combat armor fit to wear over clothing, as well as her lack of boots, the woman nearly faded away in the coat.

"This is turning into quite a night.", Travis told his audience. "Everyone's favorite vault dweller has also presented herself."

"Yes.", Trish gasped out. "What does the General, who obviously stands for unity in the Commonwealth as well as peace, think of Vault 114 holding the same status that she's granted the Institute? I mean, I'd really hate for her to think that killing is the only thing on her mind."

The General looked at Travis, trying his best to keep his confidence. Back to Trish and her tempting her trigger finger again. The woman pulled the overcoat around herself tighter.

She uncocked the hammer to her pistol.

"You're not Vault 114. You're Triggermen. If you actually want to stop being a threat to the Commonwealth are aren't just trying to pull the greatest confidence scam in all of Commonwealth history, then you'll gather a party. We'll meet in Goodneighbor to discuss the terms of your surrender."

"Why Goodneighbor?", Trish asked. "Doesn't openness demand radio coverage?"

"If there's someone you should trust to keep me from killing all of you, it should be Mayor Hancock. I can arrange media coverage all you like. And I don't think Diamond City has the facilities to hold the people you need in conference for the Minutemen to accept your surrender under proper terms."

The General stormed out of what passed for a radio station in this wasteland. She nearly ran Wright over on her way out.

"Blue.", the reporter began. "What happened in their? What are you feeling?"

The other woman spun in the dirt 'street'. "I'm feeling that you need to publish about my zero casualty victory over the Forged. That's why I could afford the time to come back to Diamond City for."

"Gee, Blue. Sorry for being concerned.", Piper complained while following her back into the newspaper's office.

When the door closed, the General turned on her. "No, you weren't. You were chasing information.

"Wait, that came out wrong.", she said before Piper could even change her expression in reaction.

"Yes, you were concerned for me and my feelings and I thank you for that.", the General began. "But you're also a reporter and you love sticking your nose in anything that might pan out to be interesting. No matter our...us, anything I do could be considered part of history with the state of things. And you, not only being you but having your job and being good at it means you're never going to be able to want the secrecy I shared with my husband. After all, we were a soldier with classified intel and a lawyer with confidentialities."

Piper wrapped her arms around herself. "I have a duty to the truth."

"And that's credibility I need as General of the Minutemen.", came the statement of fact.

She took Piper into her arms. "Not just I, but the people, know you'll never try to print a lie. Even if I tried my very best to convince you in all the ways open to me. And that's what makes you the greatest news source in the Commonwealth right now. Radio Freedom is government run, Travis unhesitantly broadcasts rumors and every other signal is only interested in one specific thing.

"But you also know in full and well that the press can change things. That's why you started this career, with your original settlement, with the Great Wall.

"Now I ask you. What is going to be better for the Commonwealth and the people that live in it? The headlines of 'Minutemen Defeat Another Threat Without Casualty' followed by 'Minutemen React to Surprise Opportunity for Peace'. Or 'General Caught Off Guard By Triggermen'?"

The reporter eyed her suspiciously. "And if I make some other judgement. Does Public Occurrences still go out on the next brahmin to the Minutemen settlements?"

The General rolled her eyes even as she hugged Piper with more strength. "Of course. I got the idea from Benjamin Franklin. He made sure that the mail service was constitutionally enshrined as a post office because nothing can hold together a disparate country like the flow of information. It's also the best way to ensure to the people that the government is working for them.

"I hope we're both professional enough to do our jobs despite...my being here and not at Home Run tonight. As General, I would lose one of the very things I'm trying to get if I tried to censor anything you had to print: a unified Commonwealth.

"Oh great.", the General sarcastically said as she watched the reporter's mind flip back into question mode through her eyes.

"So what else are you hoping to gain?", Piper asked.

"You already know. A safe Commonwealth. A prosperous Commonwealth. If I can squeeze it out of certain people, an educated Commonwealth too.", was the answer.

The reporter nodded. "Fine. But I want unfettered access. Same as with the Constitution of the Commonwealth. Hell, people are still buying prints of the constitution. Just to hand up on their wall."

The General smiled. "I kind of already promised Trish that you'd be there in the negotiations. How do you feel about a trip to Goodneihbor?"

Piper touched her lips with a finger. "Hmm...I'd have to see what I could take. Maybe we should go back upstairs?"

"Yes!", Nat agreed emphatically. "Take all this and bring it back upstairs to your room and not our office, sis."


	47. Triggermen Surrender - 3

Author's Notes: What no reviews? Just because I'm playing through the DLC (and hopefully, you are too) and the turn around time drops, the reviews drop too? Well, that's one of the lessons I thought I was going to learn, but only through reviews can I learn the lessons I didn't think of.

1

The General's office was quite safely closed. "Why didn't you tell me this was coming?", the General demanded.

"Because it should not have happened.", Desdemona told her. "Everything we had said that Eager Ernie would never give up his racetrack. It's his only leverage with the Triggermen. And it's not like he can bring it into Vault 114.

"And a plan like this can only come from a united Triggermen. So be warned. There can't be one that's dissenting. They are in lock step on this.

"And they are not the maniacs that the Forged or Rust Devils were. You're going to be facing people who can think."

The General sat back in her chair. "Do you have a bet on whether this is legitimate?"

"You mean on whether the Triggermen are actually wanting a vote at the council table? I'm nearly certain. These people don't even wake up in the morning if their isn't a cap involved. But if you mean that the entire movement wants to stop gaining what they do by being criminals? Not a chance. It's part of their culture. You might as well try to sell upper stands residents on the virtues of equality.", Desdemona informed.

The General nodded. "That's kind of what I was thinking.

"If we actually sit down across the table from these people, it would be nice to know what they're thinking."

Desdemona frowned. "And that's going to be very dangerous. If they all actually pull into Vault 114, it's going to be way harder to disappear every now and then for a drop box message out. And anyone will be under more scrutiny the closer they get to the leadership."

"Do what you can.", the General ordered. "If this works out, I'll have an office of Minutemen in that vault wiring to drop the door at the first sign of trouble. If it doesn't, at least I know where all of them are and that's not running around the Commonwealth making nuisances of themselves."

"Sure. General." Desdemona replaced her ASSAULT GAS MASK and exited the General's office.

She held the door for the other Colonels to come in.

Zoa started. "I have an update on the naval status of your forces."

"Thanks, but I'll read the report.", the General cut him off. "This meeting isn't just to keep tabs your projects. You report in and I trust what you say.

"This is to discuss what you've had to have heard by now. The Triggermen want to claim that they are really a community. Vault 114 in fact. And as such, they should be able to sign the Commonwealth's constitution, get a seat at the council table and have all the protections for themselves that we usually turn on people like themselves."

"So that's what you were discussing with Colonel Code-Name.", Shaw stated plainly.

"Yep.", the other woman replied. "And I still have no better information on what they're trying to pull."

Preston looked decidedly uncomfortable. "You want our advice not on what you've assigned us to, but whether we should consider Triggermen citizens?"

"Until they're signed on, they're not.", the General countered.

Then she huffed. "That's just it. Every time the idea is even raised, I get this knee jerk reaction."

Zoa nodded. "If I may? There is a difference between a Triad and a less formal criminal. There are traditions and rules."

She huffed again. "I understand that there was some of that in Asia, with the Yakuza of Japan having an understanding with their police. But the idea of the 'honorable criminal' died a long time before my time on this side of the ocean if it even existed at all. Black hat gun slingers and Capone's syndicate and Dillinger style motorized bandits were more fairy tales than the 'loyal opposition'. And it's not like the other gangs we've taken our didn't have complex rituals or an understanding of artificial intelligence and other robotics."

"Well, I for one did listen to your broadcast.", Colonel Brandis stated. "Whatever one wants to say about the diplomacy of it, you did state there's going to be a negotiation of the situation in Goodneighbor. So if we're actually gonna sit down an bargain with them, we need to figure out how to get the best deal."

The General nodded. "And that first means deciding what a good deal for us is."

Preston nodded. "We don't want them to harm the other citizens of the Commonwealth. Maybe we should ask them to lay down their arms."

Shaw laughed. Garvey objected. "What?"

The General explained. "If they're armed, they can at least fight us to the death and take some of us with them. If they're unarmed, in this world, that means getting eaten by supermutants or torn through when any of the much higher percentage of their population that's ghouls go feral if there's any source of radiation they miss.

"It's like in my time, how the most dangerous neighborhoods would have the most restrictive gun laws and everyone would wonder why the casualty rates kept climbing but would only drop when the Supreme Court decided the bans to be unconstitutional."

Preston frowned. "A supreme what?"

"Never mind.", the General instructed. "The point is that we're not going to get an enemy to turn themselves into prey in exchange for pretending that you can be friends with prey."

"But you do have the right sentiment. Our main priority has to be reducing the threat to the Commonwealth. Which leads me back to just killing them all. But the cost being an expenditure of our forces.

"First, our very close second priority should be not expending our forces if we can help it. And this 'surrender' could help it, very much.

"Second, this move does back us into a political corner. And I know as the military, we shouldn't be playing politics. But we depend on our image with the people of the Commonwealth as much as anything else. We can't look like we want to drag them into war. And refusing something that's actually a reasonable alternative would be doing just that."

Zao frowned. "So you want to appear to be peace lover?", he questioned.

The General's eyes clenched. "Plato's Republic, Admiral."

"Ah.", the ghoul nodded.

Brandis shrugged at Shaw's gaze, and then Preston did the same.

The General took in a breath. "There once was a Greek philosopher - Plato. He would gather his students and they would work through a new thought. First, they would eliminate everything they could, then build with what they couldn't eliminate. Some times it worked, other times they failed to eliminate false things or eliminated true things or just didn't understand the problem to begin with.

"One of these problems was whether or not it was better to be the honest man or the corrupt man. The benefit of being corrupt is that you get to gain everything that doing evil gets you. While the benefit of being good is that you're trusted. The decision was that it was more beneficial to be the corrupt man because it opens the door to lying. Through lying you get to tell everyone to respect you as if you were honest and gain the benefit of trust yet also tell everyone that the honest man is secretly corrupt.

"The Triggermen are a bunch of criminals that have chosen to tell the world that they're peaceful citizens. Because of the lesson from Plato's Republic, we're forced to not come off as violent at least until their lie is exposed as one."

"So why don't we just call their bluff?", Ronnie asked. "We sit down and squeeze 'em. Tell them that they're responsible for law and order, so to help they need to start with blabbing about every criminal thing they've ever done - and in enough detail to hang themselves by their own petard. Tell them that ordinary people don't do what the Triggermen want to do and have been doing and follow it up with the Institute's agreement to abide by the rules. If they're really faking, then we just need to expose them before putting a hole in every single one of their heads. Right?"

The General silently nodded but turned to Brandis.

Brandis smiled in understanding. "But what happens when they're not bluffing. What happens when a culture of criminals actually wants to join, thinking it's some kind of...of..."

"Mobbed up union instead of a government?", the General supplied.

Brandis shrugged. "Sure."

The woman shrugged. "Well, there's definitely one way to find out."


	48. End Game - 3

1

"Director, may I speak to you?", Justin Ayo called out.

The General (for she was still in her Minutemen uniform instead of the CLEAN BLACK SUIT she used to denote her position at the Institute) set her duffel bag down. If Dr. Ayo had been from the surface, his time around the Director would have led him to become instantly suspicious. She rarely carried anything of significant weight she could foist off onto a companion. But he was of the Institute: Why wouldn't someone on the surface have to carry an entire life's possessions on their back? It's not like the Wastelanders had any security to prevent theft or even homes to keep things in. So even though this wasn't the first time the head of the Buereu of Synth Retention had caught her with a stuffed duffel bag, it made him lose some of the small respect he had gained for her instead of render him suspicious.

Considering how difficult it was for her to move such a heavy item, the General would take a modest amount of contempt over enough suspicion to start investigating every time.

The General nodded. "What can I do for you, Justin?", using his first name to try to kick him over into friendly conversation rather than one of professionalism.

"Now that the Railroad has been brought to heel, there lies an opportunity to aid in ensuring its destruction.", he informed.

The General's eyebrow raised. How could she state this as putting the Institute first? "With them under our control, why would we need to 'ensure their destruction'. Haven't I made them a useful tool for us to curtail the threats the Commonwealth hold for us? We don't exactly put self destruct switches in our spanners."

Dr. Ayo agreed...sort of. "But our spanners are not made of fanatics. I've checked our records. It seems that the Great War was preceded by a War on Terror, in which when an extremist group of one sort or another was destroyed or disbanded or transformed into something other than an enemy militant group its members would simply disperse and reappear as another, harder line enemy militant group. Now that the Railroad as an organization is working with its most dire enemy, those seeds must already be planted. We need to prepare for that."

The General crossed her arms. "And how do you suppose I do that? In a manner that I'm not already pursuing? Demanding the knowledge of every safe house they've established will be seen through as a transparent attempt to plant explosives. I believe gaining their trust with and ordering only genuine and expected directives while continuing to force the examination of their ideology, and ours, whether synths are built sentient is the best way to keep them in line."

"As handling a tool, I agree.", the man stated. "I'm not opposing continuing on that path. What I am suggesting is something that I believe you can sell as more...conciliatory action on the Institute's part. With the results from Turing testing coinciding with your idea that a Synth can be sentient if it's worked up enough thought over time, we have an excuse."

"Excuse?"

"We offer Type 3 Synths to the Railroad as agents. You can state that they are 'the ones most likely to become sentient but aren't yet', so they retain our property status while allowing the Railroad fanatics who would group into a splinter cell something to do instead: teach how to be sentient. This behavior will probably take the shape of attempting to form relationships with what is effectively a machine. These relationships will help to glue the Railroad together, even as it acts under our will.

"Plus, it's not like they can afford not accepting the offer. Even the Railroad couldn't withstand the hypocrisy of us looking more interested in Synth 'freedom' than they are. They're own untestable ideology will demand going along with our proposal. On top of that, they've faced our Coursers in the field before. They can't deny that they don't serve as talented agents.

"This way we can infiltrate the entire organization. By having our agents be used as their agents. And it's not even a loss of resources because their agents act as our agents through the Minutemen."

The General considered her next statement, as if weighing the best two of four choices. Taking the top one, "How do know that the synths you send in won't become sentient? And if they are Coursers, won't they give the Railroad valuable intel?"

"Not more than the one already in Railroad possession: code named Glory, I believe. Coursers don't actually know about the workings of Institute technology, or at least that which gives us a critical edge on the rest of humanity. And they certainly don't know the actual location of the Institute.", Dr. Ayo explained.

"As for actual sentience - only two passed the test. And how long did it take them to achieve what we are currently accepting as their sentience scores?"

The General rolled her head. "One claimed to have philosophized for a century without interruption. The other had a hundred seventeen years of research an eighty three of pure processing on other hardware before her transfer into a synth body and adventures within."

The man shrugged. "So a five year tour in the intelligence branch of the Minutemen, where missions and Railroad personnel are a constant focus, should prove no threat at all. Especially when Coursers are already rated as the least likely to malfunction."

"Who did you have in mind?", the General asked.

"Which.", Ayo corrected.

The General waved a hand. "Of course."

The man dismissed it as well. "W4-40 and K6-70."

"Name them.", the General instructed. "I don't want the Railroad giving them an identity. Then they'll think of it as theirs, like naming a dog instead of finding out its name.

"Anything else?"

"No, I don't think so.", Ayo replied. "I'll prep them and have them Molecular Relay to your office in the Castle."

"No, I'd have to take it as an insult to my standing as Minutemen General.", the General informed him. "I'll inform Home Plate in Diamond City. Have them appear someplace private and report there."

"Alright.", Dr. Ayo stated. "Er...can I have a synth help you with your bag."

"No.", the General ordered. "I have to learn to handle this myself."

2

The General pulled the duffel bag off Dogmeat. She was nearly certain Dogmeat wouldn't betray this secret.

"So how are the negotiations going?", Dr. Cabot asked.

"They haven't started yet.", the General informed. "That's how I had enough time to get you these tools. You know, for the work you're supposed to be doing and not listening to the radio all day."

Jack side glared at her but not for long. "I've been able to analyze the materials and they all seem pretty mundane, if rare post war. It's the microarchitecture building techniques that I'm concerned with now."

The man gestured to the alien space craft he had been tasked with studying. "The hull isn't hull like we know it. It seems to have channels of separate subsystems, as if every macro piece is also serving dozens of molecular and atomic scale functions. It makes sense considering the magnetic or potentially gravitational shielding that the engines would need to withstand their own thrust for interstellar flight."

"If you say so, Dr.", the General conceded. "Just make sure you can explain that to an Institute scientist even if I can't understand it."


	49. Build Up - 19

The General nodded.

The ghoul took that as permission to go on. "Shroud fans, Kent Connolly here. I've got more thoroughly unexpected programming for you. Let me explain.

"Thanks to the General of the Commonwealth, we/"

She interrupted. "The General of the Minutemen. The communities have their representatives on the council of the Commonwealth."

Kent nodded enthusiastically as if he could be seen by his listening audience. "Well, anyway, we are up to two separate broadcasts a day.

"Ever since finding cache of holotapes in the locke on the way to Egret Tour Marina - both now under Minutemen protection - we have more episodes of the the 'classic' Silver Shroud. Our p.m. broadcast of the 'classic' Silver Shroud radio hour you know and love now has episodes once thought lost to the Great War but like the Shroud himself, has walked out of the past and into the Commonwealth. Be sure to tune in.

"But also don't miss the exciting, all new, all original episodes set in the glory days of the pre-war Commonwealth. Thanks to the voice credits of George Cooper, Rex Goodman and the occasional help of the lovely guest actress Anne Hargraves of WRVR and undisclosed writers, the Silver Shroud stalks again. Without the General's clear and safe roads, none of this would be possible folks. Support your local Minutemen!

"Which brings me to the news that interrupts our regular broadcast schedule. I have here with me, everyone's favorite Vault Dweller, the General herself."

The General smiled. "Thank you for having me, Kent."

"Oh, the pleasure is all ours, General.", he countered. "What's the big news that you want to share with all the Silver Shroud fans out there?"

"Well, as you may have heard, the notorious gang of outlaws that have always referred to themselves as the Triggermen, in order to communicate their murderous ways - I'm sure, has claimed to realize the benefits of not facing the justice of the Minutemen. In order to avoid bloodshed, I've allowed them to plead their case. The negotiations will be taking place right here in Goodneighbor. And to make sure that the process is completely transparent to the public, I'm ensuring radio coverage for the event.", she answered.

"How are you accomplishing that?", Kent asked.

The General didn't quite explain. "Well, in depth coverage and analysis will likely be done the team over at Public Occurences. I understand that a reporter is going to be present for the proceedings and attempting to meet with both sides. This will document it for posterity as well as offering every reader along our provisioner's and the independent caravan's lines the opportunity to form their own, personal and free, opinion. But in order to be above board in all things, I'm afraid I'll have to cut into some of even the vaunted character's air time."

"But why would this station lose air time?", Kent continued.

"The Commonwealth needs you, Mr. Connolly.", the General informed. "Your station is the one that operates out of Goodneighbor. Therefore, it's you who have the best opportunity to present the proceedings to the Commonwealth."

"Oh wow.", Kent realized. "Do you really think it would help? I mean, word around is that you were a prosecutor before you were frozen and the Triggermen take after pre-war mobsters. Isn't that like taking hanging a crook before the Mistress of Mysteries herself?"

"I understand your reluctance.", the General assured. "And I understand that your radio station has a...singular focus. But I have a strong belief that the Commonwealth is strongest when the public knows what its government is doing on their behalf. And while I feel that the opportunity to end the threat of the Triggermen without resorting to force is too great to pass up, I also have a duty to show that to every citizen of the Commonwealth. Broadcasting the proceedings will aid in that."

"Alright, General.", the ghoul stated reluctantly.

The General shook her head. She prodded with a circular motion of her hand.

Kent nodded. "But what about security? Some of this equipment is pretty rare."

"That's a fair question, Kent.", the General said in a too-much-a-politician-to-show-annoyance tone of voice. "Due to a need for neutrality until the matter is settled, the Watchmen of Goodneighbor will be handling security. But that won't mean that the community will be any less protected. Minutemen troops will have the city surrounded, on the lookout for any threats. While they will be headquartered in our office in town, the Minutemen won't be officially operating on the streets of any community."

Kent shrugged. The General mouthed 'yes'.

"Okay then, you've convinced me.", the ghoul 'agreed'. "Keep it locked here folks. More Silver Shroud, classic and re-imagined to come. And exclusive on radio: the negotiated surrender of the nefarious Triggermen.

"Now, continuing with a classic rediscovered episode: The Shroud, Untouchable?"

Kent worked a few buttons on his set up. He turned around when he seemed satisfied. The General listened in on her Pip Boy, and the holotape and not the microphone seemed to be broadcasting.

Now they acknowledged the man standing in the room.

"This is Niel Freund.", the General stated. "He's here for the last part of his training. To take my place."

Niel positively flipped. "General?"

She scoffed. "No. No no no no no no. No.

"My other identity."

Kent leaned forward. "You mean he knows?"

"Now.", she informed.

"What other ident...oh.", Niel realized. "You mean, the broadcasts. When Diamond City Radio warned of a superhero."

Kent smiled broadly. "That's right. You're looking at her. Our very own, modern day, Silver Shroud."

The General laid out the SILVER SHROUD COSTUME, SILVER SHROUD HAT, PATROLMAN'S SUNGLASSES, and most spectacularly the SILVER SUBMACHINE GUN.

Niel still had an incredulous voice. "I don't believe it."

"And you need to keep it that way.", the General warned. "The public has to be afraid of the Silver Shroud like children are of monsters under the bed. And that means a complete lack of information. This goes way beyond a secret identity. This means no one ever seeing the Shroud casually, not even on patrol or something of the sort. He has to come out of no where, fly back to the shadows and the only people who truly know one way or the other is an obsessive fan boy like Kent. And me of course."

"That's what the training was for.", the man continued.

Kent's grin never faded. "I think he's got it."

"You sent me to that cage fighter for this, not just to toughen me up. And MacCready: he said he preferred more of a sniper's touch but that you ordered him to teach me the SUBMACHINE GUN. It was all for me to be...the new Silver Shroud?"

"Not quite yet.", the General warned. "Kent still has to teach you the theatrics. The lore. The presence of the Shroud. The results I need won't be from just wearing the costume and taking care of a few raiders. Any survivors needs to have heard a proper " **Death has come for you. And I...am it's shroud!** ". Then you'll be ready to wear the armor."

"Don't worry, Shro...General.", Kent assured. "I'll get him up to speed. With these holotapes you got me, it'll be a cinch."

The General stood and looked Niel in the eye with his back against the wall. "You do know what this is and how important it is, right? There's coming a time where I won't be able to afford Minutemen to crime like the people would like because we'll be involved with actual hostilities. Not just the Rust Devils or the Forged. I mean real, actual fights that I'll need everyone to win.

"Raiders and other common criminals like the Triggermen, if they were allowed, would try to make up for lost time. A Silver Shroud waiting in the shadows and ready to pounce in ambush is exactly the type of thing that can supplement like an entire police force.

"But since the Minutemen haven't come out and stated that we're doing anything of the sort, we have to take care of it secretly. And this is top secret: not even my intelligence branch has figured out what you've been up to. They think I've previously come to the Memory Den to use Dr. Amari's expertise to rig the Synth tests in their favor vs. the Institute and was covering it up with establishing the Minutemen office here in Goodneighbor. I've been sitting on the defeat of the Mechanist and the Fenway Phantom instead of using it to raise morale and confidence in the Minutemen."

Connolly spoke up. "So even though I'm broadcasting the negotiations, which should be the highest rated broadcast in the Commonwealth, I'm going to interrupt it with hyping you up buddy. The Silver Shroud will have notified me that the Fenway Phantom has been destroyed and his lair of artistic death is no more."

"Anyone who's brave enough to travel downtown and doesn't believe in the Silver Shroud will be another barely heard (but just barely) witness. Or at least they will once they bring back the holotapes that maniac left in Fenway Sewers.", the General complemented.

"So you better learn what you need to quick. You'll have to actually silence a raider gang or three before we can credit the Silver Shroud with the defeat of the Mechanist. The Commonwealth will need you established enough to put faith in, even though they will never know who or what you are, before they actually need you to be put faith in."


	50. Triggermen Surrender - 4

The two groups sat on couches across the room from each other, trying their best to mimic Dharma and kung-fu stare a whole in the wall right through the other side.

Maybe it was because the Minutemen had posted guards at the door to the backroom of the Third Rail, and across the room from the door to the backroom and had repeatedly offered 'supplementary security' to Ham, the doorman, no matter how unwanted. Maybe it was because the Watchmen in the room, shadowing Mayor Hancock didn't look any more hospitable. Maybe it was because the Triggermen, pardon of course - the representatives of the esteemed Vault 114, seemed unapologetic and unabashed in their gangster apparel and assorted automatic fire arms they brought to a surrender, pardon of course - reconciliation of an unsigned community of the Commonwealth. Maybe it was because the formal COLONIAL DUSTERS of the assembled Colonels didn't allow for anything else.

"Hey, Shroud Fans. This is Kent Connolly.", the ghoul cut through the silence. "Today's programming is being interrupted for a historic broadcast. The negotiations to incorporate the nefarious Triggerman's hideout of Vault 114 as a contributing member community of the Commonwealth."

The silence immediately returned. Colonel Garvey glared at 'Representative' Trish. 'Advocate' Malone stared at Colonel Shaw. And it seemed to Piper as if the General and Mayor Marowski were having a psychic battle.

"Don't everyone go at once.", Mayor Hancock observed.

"You know what? I'll start.", the General offered. "After all, I believe I have two important stories to tell.

"About my experience with gangsters.

"As many of you know, I'm from the time before the bombs fell. I actually saw the glow of one of them as I was descending into my vault: you couldn't actually directly at one, the light alone would melt your eyes.

"What some of you may not know is that I was a lawyer. And what that meant is that every day, I ended up dealing with sleazy low lifes that put their own drivers of sin (greed, lusts, wrath, sloth) before not just the authority of the state, but the safety of their fellow man. And they'd love to tell me about how they had respect for the family, or centuries of tradition, or old ways that gave rules. Right before they'd brag about how they were going to get away with yet another corrupting crime or how I'd never find the bodies of the innocents they had buried in shallow graves. Some times, they'd just try to threaten or bribe me or hold something, someone hostage. All to get out of what justice had in store for people as evil as they.

"The second story takes place a bit more recently.

"When I came upon this world, it was (from my perspective) just after witnessing the kidnapping of my son and the murder of my husband. I was so filled with desperation and rage that I barely noticed how destroyed the world was.

"And if it wasn't for someone I met early on, I'd have gladly burned what was left of it to the ground in my mother's quest. I'd like to say that person was Preston Garvey. Now Preston is one of the most honorable and noble men I have ever met in my life. The kind they used to write about in romantic fantasy books, whose handsome yet rugged looks could make a woman like me swoon while having a character that left a respect that fairy tale true love could be built on in comfort and safety. But it wasn't.

"That honor goes to Mackenzie Bridgeman.

"When I first arrived at what is now the Nuka World trading post, it was a raider infested cesspool. One gang was the Operators, who claimed to love money more than terror. There were the Disciples who did not. And then the Pack that tried their best to be animals instead of people. Even the entrance was one long gauntlet of death traps and cannibals leading up to a duel with a power armor clad psychopath. But I'm told I have very good marksmanship. After defeating this guantlet and the three separate raider gangs' ruler, I was offered the position. And I was in the state of mind where I wanted nothing more than an army to shove down the throats of whoever took my family away from me.

"But before I could unleash them, I saw that they were slavers. They had put explosive collars on whoever they ran across that they thought could be useful to them. And this woman made me realize again a truth I had always known. No matter how much structure the criminal element presents, whether it's Dons or Overbosses, families or gangs - they are still criminals that victimize the innocent. Mackenzie Bridgeman was a doctor that agreed to surrender herself and her skills in exchange for nothing, just the promise of criminal not to terrorize her settlement anymore. That settlement no longer exists.

"So I used my 10 MILLIMETER PISTOL to explain to these gangsters that there behavior had consequences. All I had to do was cut through three separate gangs of raiders and the independents that oversaw them until every single gang boss was dead to free those traders. Those traders were free before I even knew whether or not my son was still alive."

The General paused a moment.

"I just want to communicate at the start of all this my...the amount of tolerance I have for gangsters. And their hypocritical, dishonest propaganda that's brought out trying to justify their existence when their inherent evil shows that they ought to be killed to the last. Even if I have to do it myself by pulling a trigger three hundred and forty two separate times in the same day, not counting reloading resets of a magazine after I reloaded."

Now that she had a thorough command of the room's attention, the General favored a Triggerman with her focus. "Excuse me. That story made me a little nostalgic. Could you please see if Charlie has a NUKA-GRAPE in stock?


	51. Triggermen Surrender - 5

1

"Okay. Okay.", Morowski understood. "Strong starting position. Prepared to the long haul. I get that, I really do.

"The next step is that I bluster, then you count your strengths, I threaten, you threaten, this breaks down into a shouting match. And we go through this dance for a few weeks before we're eating noodles and TATO sauce wit' each other's families. How about we skip all dat?"

Colonel Shaw raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me."

"Of course little lady.", Morowski dismissed. "Look - I'm gonna take your fairy tale time as a proposal. You put one free murder spree on the table. And as I said, I like that, I'm in the market for a murder spree myself to tell you the truth. But here's what us in the business call an opportunity for a counter proposal. See how you like mine.

"By our count, our community does about an eighth of all the trade in the entire Commonwealth. More than Diamond City's Market. More than Bunker Hill's market. I don't even think you want to put Nuka-World against us in the amount of sheer number of caps moved per day, capice?

"So you can talk all day about how we're just a bunch of whatever names you wanna stick us wit'. Thugs. Criminals. Gangsters. I don't care.

"Because you can't pull that much trade out of the system without blowback.

"And while these two might want get all high and mighty, you're different. You have a pre-war education from back in the day when kids did nothing but go to school. You're smart enough to get the Institute to talk to you like you're one of them. You _have_ to know that I'm right. You actually can't just rip out that amount of back and forth in trade without taking the whole system down with you.

"And I also get that that's a lotta caps and you want your taste. Maybe the first two thousand you got offa me whet your appetite, maybe you ain't greedy but the General's got have her respect. That's cool too.

"Then there's that massacre you're promising. I wonder how much that'll cost? Not just in human lives. I mean, you're pre-war trained. You gotta know how many people you'll lose if you actually try to take out every single one of my boys room by room in a vault.

"I mean, in supplies - that who's gonna pay for? Meds for the wounded your people pull out from the fight. You're not going to sacrifice your men's loyalty for a few caps here and there...until it all adds up. Fusion cells. Conventional rounds. Food. War's expensive.

"And you'll have not only our caps against you but the opportunity cost of not having our caps backing you.

"See, there's nothing more powerful than caps. Not our vault. Not your castle. Not even the Institute. Nothing."

By now Marowski was standing halfway across the room. The General unfolded herself and stood.

And pulled back the flap of her coat to reveal (to the room, not the radio audience) the gun she took from her son's kidnapper's corpse. "I can think of _something_."

Just then, a bald waiter wearing sunglasses came in the room. "Your Nuka-Grape, ma'am."

Instead of grabbing it by the top and thumbing open the bottle, being careful to have one hand for the cap like everyone in the Commonwealth, she pulled the bottle from the bottom - brushing her hand along the tray in the action. "Thank you."

Marowski nodded. "You know? I think I worked up a powerful thirst myself. Let's break for a few and wet our whistles."

The Triggermen contingent walked out into the main bar area of the Third Rail.

2

"Whatcha got for me, Stan?", Marowski asked his usually present bodyguard.

The other man glanced at the two Minutemen standing guard at the backroom entrance, in combat armor and carrying the Institute's upgrade to the LASER MUSKET. He nodded his head away from the entrance and two men walked a bit away.

"The business is what's you got for us?", Slavin asked his boss. "Listening to the radio's fine and all. But lookin' in a person's eye is the real judge. So now that you've seen her in her element, do you really think the General's gonna go for this?"

Marowski nodded. "If she ain't a psychopath she will."

"And the chance of that?", Stan pressured.

"Considering she lost her whole world, her husband, her kid and is now trying to put the Commonwealth together with spit and gristle? About fifty / fifty."

3

Preston turned after the waiter who walked back out. "Whitechapel Charlie doesn't have a waiter...Hey! Isn't that/"

"A tasty Nuka-Grape, yes it is.", the General cut him off. She unfolded a HANDKERCHIEF that had appeared in her hand after turning away from Connelly working his radio equipment and Piper still gathering her notes. Her eyes were hidden by her WRAPARROUND GOGGLES but her face stayed still as if thinking or reading once the cloth was unfolded. After the pause she raised the cloth to her nose and then balled it up into a pocket.

"You know, you're getting kind of jumpy.", the General told Preston. She took him by the arm and kind of leaned into him, taking him wholly by surprise. "If the Triggermen are taking this time to rest up and relax, we should too."


	52. Triggermen Surrender - 6

"Waking up without a clue.

Baby's it's just you.", Magnolia sedated the Third Rail's customers.

"So how does it feel to be the Commonwealth's most eligible bachelor?", the General asked Preston.

The question slowed him from a gentle balboa to a bluesy swaying. "Sir?"

The General laughed. "After the way I talked you up on the radio just now. You already had the reputation of the last real hero in the Commonwealth. Now you'll have to beat the women off with a stick."

Colonel Garvey scoffed. "My vaunted reputation hasn't gotten me the one I have my eye on."

She didn't meet his gaze. After a moment she replied. "If it makes it any easier, it's not that it's Piper. It could have just as easily been Cait or even Curie. If she wasn't sentient, it would probably be better if it had been Curie. Anyone who wasn't under my command, really."

"And not a threat to the memory of your husband.", Preston added.

She leaned against him. "I'm sorry."

The song ended. Magnolia was about to walk off the stage. But Marowski raised his hand, then lowered it and released a handful of caps on the table. Magnolia nodded and began Man Enough. By now he confirmed that the General and Colonel were looking at him. He pointed down at the caps, then at the General. A smile and a wink communicated everything.

'Skinny' Malone walked up to the couple. "Mind if I cut in?"

"Not at all.", the General answered. She unwrapped herself from Preston. Then she allowed Malone to hold her frame in a stable if aloof dancing position.

"So?", the General asked. "You do have the capacity. 122% of it."

Malone spun her further away from the Triggermen's table. "How could you know that?"

"Never mind how I know.", the General warned. "Can you take the price?"

Malone swallowed. "Yeah. It ain't gonna lie easy with the knuckle draggers. But add in not going to war with the Minutemen, your boys securing the roads and a nigh monopoly? If you can get Marowski to swallow it with Trish staring at him, I can get him to digest it."

"We're on the radio.", she objected. "I'm not going to be nice about it. And I brought a real hard head with me. Then again, the honor bound one I brought with me is only going along with this because of the lives it will save."

Malone nodded. "He's prepared for that. With him as Mayor and you as General, he gets that he'll be paying up. He's just gotta be able to tell his people that they'll all be paid in the end."

"Well considering how many people that he's about to take the jobs of, he ought to be certain of that."


	53. Triggermen Surrender - Last

"So you got no problem with our numbers racket.", Trish assessed.

Preston objected. "That is not what I said. What I said was that I don't see how I can stop people from spending their hard earned caps the way they want to spend them.

"But two things would be enough common courtesy for us to not look too closely at it. There isn't an ADDICTOL for gambling, so if there's someone with a real problem that's affecting his family or turning him to real crime, I expect...it would be mighty neighborly of you to cool him off instead of milk him dry. And if there isn't the slightest whiff that the game is rigged, it would be better for everyone. In concern of...how did you put it, General?"

"Domestic tranquility, not my words."

"Yes.", Garvey continued. "Domestic tranquility."

Trish twisted her irradiated features up even more. "My dear Colonel! Not only do we run only the most upstanding establishments, but the trust between a house and its client is holy."

Hancock laughed. "She got you there, pretty boy."

"Do you see anyone reaching for their gat?", Morowski interjected.

"um, No?", Hancock reacted.

"Then keep quiet."

The other ghoul in the room frowned.

Malone decided to move on to the next topic. "And I know you don't have a problem with our runnin' boys and girls."

"You...know...?", Ronnie Shaw began.

The General's entire face scrunched up and she put her left hand to her forehead. She made sure to keep her right hand free.

"How...young...is the youngest of these 'boys and girls'?", she asked very carefully.

"I don't know.", Malone said. He turned to Trish. "What, you think maybe Marcus? On account of he's nineteen, after doin' that extra year in Diamond City's school?"

"What's that gotta do with anything?", Marowski asked. Then he realized. And immediately jumped up, shouting "Hey! We ain't no sickos/"

"Sit down Morowski.", Hancock warned.

"I told you to keep quiet unless someone was drawing."

The Mayor of Goodneighbor gestured a thumb at the General. She uncocked the hammer of her .44 that was pointed directly at Marowski's face.

"Well, at least that's not the problem I was going to have to solve.", she observed. "All of your...employees are there of their own free will."

Malone nodded. "Yeah. They ain't exactly Trigge...made Vault 114 citizens themselves, that are initiated or anything. They can walk away whenever they want."

The General's scowl deepened. "If you ever, ever get someone coming to be one of these 'boys and girls' because they have no where else to go, or they're young even if they do - you will escort them directly to Minutemen custody."

Marowski shrugged. "Sure thing, we can let you take them off our hands. Unhappy entertainers don't make for happy clients, know what I'm saying? Except for the type that don't need to made happy, and the family don't need them no ways."

"And disease?", the General continued.

"We got ole doc to keep 'em checked out.", Malone assured. "People ain't buying if it ain't clean."

The General sighed. "What about your clients?"

Malone looked to Marowski and Trish. Marowski answered. "Hey, were gonna be in a vault right? We can throw in a complimentary check up with the pre-game shower included in the price, okay?"

"One more thing.", she raised. "What about the resultant children? It's not like birth control is a readily available chem in the Commonwealth."

Morowski shrugged. "How do you think I joined the rackets? I was...wait, what did you say about birth control being a chem."

The mobster immediately turned to his other two and started rambling off questions and thoughts.

The General gaped at him. "You've been running a prostitution ring _and_ are the largest chem dealers in the Commonwealth and birth control hasn't even occurred to you?"

"Hold on a minute will you?", Morowski held up a finger to the General as he continued to confer with his others.

"Alright. We think we can make the birth control chem. For our boys and girls, it'll be part of their buy in. Everyone else has to pay. Good enough for you?"

The General considered the consequences. Driving the practice underground would not only make the whole situation worse but make some other criminal organization if the Triggermen gave it up to become Vault 114. If she allowed the Triggermen to keep it, then she could put conditions on it as long as it didn't break the business' back. What's the worst that could happen?

"We get to inspect to make sure your conditions are up to standards set.", the General dictated.

"Not on constant surprise.", Marowski objected. "Can't have the feds harassing our customers."

The General glared at him. "We get to summon anyone at any time away from your bordello and into Minuteman custody. That way, they aren't intimidated by your people and if they're not medically fit or working not of their own free will then we can take them away and come back in force."

"Free of charge?", Marowski asked.

The General folded her arms. "I do not want to even tempt the government to be dependent on taxes from this industry. It's too easy to lead to corruption."

The mobster leaned back. "Then go ahead, more power to you. It'll keep my people honest."

She looked to Preston. He seemed embarrassed by the whole thing. She looked to Shaw. The more aged woman (if not technically 'older') nodded once, but only once. "It seems the matter is settled."

Marowski leaned back on the couch and laid his arms behind his two associates. "So now..."

The General sat forward and rested her elbows on her knees. "Now."

"The chems.", they both said.

The General started. "You have to bundle ADDICTOL with every batch that can addict a person. If a person is buying per dose, you still have to provide one even if you have to keep track with some sort of frequent buyer card. I'm not allowing you to sell a product that no one needs yet is still addictive."

"Hey, some people do need it.", Morowski informed. "I've heard more than one farmer that's told me that BUFFOUT or JET saved his family when a pack of ferals came through."

"Then put that in your brochure.", the General commanded. "Along with 'An ADDICTOL in every batch'. It's the cost of doing business now."

All three gangsters looked sullen. "Anything else, General?", 'Skinny' prodded.

The General softened her face. "In fact, there is.

"The Minutemen have currently been supplying their own RADAWAY, RAD-X, STIMPACKS and ANTIBIOTICS. You can do it for cheaper. So I'm going to get it from you for cheaper than I can produce, even if it's not cheaper than you can produce. And on the scale of the communities of the Minutemen and the service itself. We'll retain the capacity to produce, if your vault is ever compromised. But with your producing for cheaper, I can put people and resources elsewhere. If I ever can produce chems for cheaper than you can, you're in tough luck.

"There'll be enough caps coming your way to make it worth your while. Not enough to live like kings instead of ordinary citizens. But enough unless the Commonwealth falls into dire straits and I need to squeeze you for a bit. Ronnie will have quotas for what we expect."

The man hesitated. "If we ever do get the squeeze, we get to put it on the books and come for the loan after the fact? Interest free, of course."

The General shrugged. "Fine."

Marowski nodded. "I don't think we object to any of this. So are we kosher?"

The General frowned. "Mayor Marowski: Territory ceded to Vault 114 is the vault itself and the adjoining subway station. The surface above it or any new digging is not counted as within this space.

"Your communities security is free to enforce its laws within that territory. Triggermen, if your forces will retain the name, will not be allowed to operate as such outside of that territory - identical to Watchmen, Diamond City Security or Vault 81 officers. With the caveat that your local laws include everything we've discussed as condition to entrance into the Commonwealth. As a free gift from me to the Commonwealth, everyone else involved in these...industries will be held to the same accountability. Just because I'm keeping you from posing a danger doesn't mean I'm allowing others to be one.

"You will make a space within the vault itself available for a Minutemen office. It will earn my favor if it is Vault 114's Overseer's office and adjoining chambers, and the reverse if it isn't."

Marowski shrugged. Malone spoke up, "Yeah, we can do that."

The General stood and Marowski matched her. "Then I'll expect Representative Trish to come to the next council meeting and officially sign the Constitution."

Marowski extended a hand. "Congratulations, General. You've saved a lotta lives today. And made an old gangster go straight."

The General shook that hand. "No, Congratulations Mayor Marowski. You've just legitimized several unique economic enterprises you hold a nigh monopoly over while loading the security of them onto the government, making yourself the richest man in the Commonwealth. Well played."

She leaned really close to him while retaining his hand. The General whispered. "And when your representative votes in the council, I expect she'll remember who gave her that vote in the first place instead of being a hard head. That would be bad for business."

Marowski sideways gazed at her. And nodded.


	54. Time Off Again?

1

"You blasphemy will never be allowed in any temple!", the Child of Atom screamed.

The Hubologist scoffed. "As if you knew anything of truth. Your many worlds are ignorance of the one perfect world, orbiting the star/"

"Um, Pastor?", Geneva prodded.

Clemonts sighed. "The All Faiths Chapel is for all faiths. However, that means everyone has to welcome all faiths, not just me."

Geneva looked again to the glowing hand pointing it's glowing, 'blessed by Atom' finger in the face 'free of nuerodynes'. The Diamond City Security officers looked like they just wanted to get to clubbing: yes, people in a church; yes, for disagreeing; yes, they expected no consequnces for their violence.

She turned back to the Pastor. "I'll see what sense I can talk them into."

"Well, at least little things like this garner your attention nowadays. Remember before the General took charge?"

2

"Look, the man said he's looking to buy TARBERRIES. You sell TARBERRIES. You don't want to tell the man he slogged it all the way up here for nothing.", the caravan hand said.

Deidre shrugged and started rasping away. "I'm sorry. We've sold so many that we're down to regrowing the bog. What's left is what's going to refill our stock so anyone can have anymore."

The caravan hand snorted. "I'm lookin at TARBERRIES right in that old swimming pool right there. Sure, less than you usually have in there but some still. You hand over those, do whatever with your 'bog', and we'll both have caps in hand."

At that momen Wiseman came strolling up. "Hello. I'm Sherrif of this settlement. Can I be of any aid."

At that the caravan hand backed away. "Nope, no trouble here. Wouldn't want to upset any of the General's men." The hand went back to his trader and calmed him down, despite the lack of TARBERRIES.

Deidre smiled. "You remember how much trouble that would have been if the General wasn't in charge?"

3

One of the rebuilt homes of Sanctuary had become a legendary treasure in the Commonwealth. Rumor had it that the General had, in her travels, a penchant for holding on to readable comics and magazines. Every so often, she had come back to town and filled shelves with her findings. Now, this single building had more reading material than either the school or the science center of Diamond City. An outright lie had begun to circulate that even the Institute had contributed a book that was just difficult to be found in the midst of so many. Even the video games mentioned in the magazine occupied a terminals in the other room. The newly christened Reading House didn't seem as alive as the building built from scratch with a POOL TABLE (and an actually complete set of billiard balls) and bowling lane, but it certain seemed that way to the people inside carried away with their imaginations.

After a grueling days work and a thorough wash, Jun and Marcy Long settled into chairs in the place. Thanks to the lack of attacks and abundant water supply of the nearby river, they could wash nearly every day if they did so together and quickly enough.

"Kyle would have liked it here.", Jun mused aloud. Then he caught himself and awaited Marcy's reaction with baited breath.

Marcy considered the shops, the doctors, the gym, the food, and the near overkill security placed on the settlement that she would have never dared to dream of when she arrived. "Well, I'm not apologizing to the General if that's what you're getting at."


	55. The Commonwealth Civil War - 1

Nat spilled out of the mock 'space ship' giggling. Fortunately, the Nuka Galaxy in door roller coaster had come to a complete stop. The General exited the craft much more lesiurely and helped Piper out of the one she rode.

"Come on, old people!", the younger Wright sister commanded. "I want to go on the next one."

"You really want to burn through your caps that quickly?", Piper asked.

Nat pouted. "But you said you were the Overboss of this place."

The General laughed. "And what kind of leader would I be if I abused my position just to play favorites and change the rules to suit myself? Just be grateful there aren't any lines."

The two sisters looked at her funny as they all left the building. She reiterated, "You know...queues? For the wait?"

Nat shrugged.

"Oh, that's right." Piper realized. "The population in your time. I'm sorry. It just didn't occur to me that there could be enough people that some would have to wait in a place this size.

"That's what those metal bars that were in the way were for, right? So that people could be organized into who came first to get on."

The reporter then held onto the arm of the General. "Sorry for ruining the mood."

The General sighed wistfully. She took Piper's arm in both of hers. "No, you didn't.

"I was just remembering the last time Shuan's father and I were here. We didn't even go on many rides. We just moved from zone to zone when the staff figured we broke too many public displays of affection rules. He was on leave and I was supposed to be using my spring break to prepare for the Bar, um -the test you had to take before they would let you be a lawyer. We had decided that we wanted at least one parent to have time for our child, so he stayed on for another tour while I was in college. He was going to college when I started my career.

"Heh. He gave me the new pet name of 'sugar mama' instead of 'boss lady' once I started supporting him instead of out ranking him."

Piper interjected. "You outranked him?"

The two women continued down the path even though Nat had run off to ride on the 'space ships' that were lifted on bars from the side as if that didn't make it a merry-go-round.

"For a few weeks in my only tour of duty and his first. After his second, he came home with a shoulder of stripes bigger than his smile."

The General took a deeper breath. "He was a good man. A good father. He...he deserved the chance to be one."

Piper patted her hands. "I know another man that deserves that chance."

The General turned to her. "Really? You too?

"And furthermore, what about us?"

Piper laughed. "Come on, Blue. You had a natural son. I can't be doing everything for you. And I can feel you holding back: you don't mean to, but you do. If it wasn't for your husband, Nat would probably be dating a tall, dark, and baby Minuteman by now."

The General walked away from her with a smile on her face. "Let's go find Nat, alright?"

"No, seriously.", Piper called out as she followed her. "How else am I going to get my way into his harem unless its on your coat tails? I mean, if your husband wouldn't mind us then I'm sure Preston won't."

The General stopped dead in her tracks laughing.

Piper shrugged. "You're the one that talked him up on the radio. You know how people take your word. That recruitment poster you came up with is now turning our printing press into a money machine."

Her elder by two centuries caught her breath and stood back up. "Oh, really."

The younger sidled up to her. "With the way things are now, Blue, you wouldn't even stand a chance if you weren't the strongest and most fiery woman in the Commonwealth."

With the two so close, the General could whisper. "I'm not the only spitfire here."

Only the jingle of Bottle and Cappy from a nearby NUKA-COLA MACHINE broke the silence. Until it wasn't the jingle any more.

The GNN - Global News Network logo lit up the screen. An unfamiliar female voice announced - "For those of you who still have powered televisions, important information."

And when the picture became clear, an altogether too familiar voice came on. "Woo-hoo! Red-Eye here. That's right, y'all. Ole Red-Eye's moved up in the world and now is on your television set! And an army man too. Welcome to the Gunner News Network, where you can get crystal clear proof that we are kicking Minuteman ass all day, all night!"

The woman sitting next to Red Eye glared at him as if she could kill him by will alone. The General supposed she was eye-candy, wearing only a GUNNER HARNESS despite being rather...gifted. The two were obviously supposed to be seated behind what she could recognize as the GNN nightly news desk. But a man in GUNNER FLANNEL SHIRT AND JEANS with eyes more bloodshot than a stoplight stood with one foot on the desk, the other being propped up by probably something it shouldn't, and hovering over a guitar.

"Now you must be wondering: just how in the world did Red Eye get this job? Well, I was out wandering around looking for the meanest, toughest bunch of bad asses around. You know, like I do. And then I found these Gunners. They weren't any old Gunners see. They were Colonel Cypress' private crew. And seeing as it was the head honcho himself, I walked up. I walked up and said, 'Here I am. Now what?'

"And I could see he was really impressed. Because a man like that can tell that I was the real deal in a heartbeat. So Colonel Cypress said to me: 'I am really impressed. A man like me can tell that you are the real deal in a heartbeat. How about joining up with my corps.'

"Now at first, I didn't want to. Because on account of how tough I am, I didn't want to get none of his guys jealous, like how I do. But then he showed me this here television station and said 'I want you to make this awesome.' And that why I'm here, poking my nose in your living room and smelling what you are cooking, ready to eat everything in sight."

"Ahem!", the woman interrupted.

"Oh, that's right.", Red Eye reminded himself. "The purpose of tonight's little broadcast. Well, here it is folks. The Main Event. Footage taken directly from the battlefield. I give, for your viewing edu-tainment, un-cut footage from the Battle to Retake Sommerville Place."

With that, the picture changed to an outdoors theme. The General couldn't believe what she was looking at: an operational heavy tank. Its two barrels swiveled and fired as if they were actually armed with live ammunition. When the camera panned and zoomed, she could make out one of the guard posts of Somerville Place. It exploded.

Red Eye's voice came back over. "Oh wow! I didn't believe. I wouldn't believe if I seen it. I did see it and I still don't believe it. Kaboom!

"And now that those Minutemen abandoned all those people, because they run like cowards, we've reclaimed Sommerville Place. Yee-haw!"

The General stared at the screen for half a second longer. Then, "Piper, get Nat. Run to the Vertibird that flew us here and get yourself back to Diamond City pronto. I need to get back to the Castle a bit faster."


	56. The Commonwealth Civil War - 2

1

"Sheriff MacKenzie!", the General called out from the rickety lift up to the Fizztop Grille.

"In here, Overboss.", the doctor called out. She stood amongst a few of the other traders, all now free people.

"I'm here to tell you exactly what you're going to do.", the General told them.

Fritsch scoffed. "Is this all about Red Eye getting a gig with the Gunners? You know that fool's mostly funnin'."

"Just because you didn't actually put a collar on anyone's neck and worked for a living doesn't mean that I won't bury you and find someone else that understands that this is not a time for remaining calm but a time to start getting excited. Do you understand me?", the General warned.

"um, Yes'm, Overboss.", he quickly agreed.

The General took a breath. "This is the war I've been warning about. The Gunners have declared full out war with the Commonwealth at large. Which means they are to be considered just over the horizon and prepared to destroy every single one of you. And considering that I found you alive, I'm thinking your people found even slavery preferable to death."

MacKenzie frowned. "But if things are so serious, why did the Vertibird fly out of here without you on it?"

"It's transporting two civilians back to Diamond City.", the General answered. "I have my own ways.

"Anyway, I need you to reprioritize. There's three projects and three projects only that you can justify anyone being outside the walls of Nuka-World proper.

"The first is securing the tram. How's that coming?"

MacKenzie reported. "Well, we've kept the turrets and the path of the Gauntlet. Mostly, we've just cleaned up the traps and the threats and the...remains. And told the turrets to stand down, in the interest of trade."

"Good.", the General congratulated. "Turn the turrets back on to a state where they consider everything hostile. And keep the tram itself parked on this side of the tracks. When I get back to the Commonwealth, I'm going to declare a state of emergency. Anyone traveling on that rail will be announced ahead of time on the CB radio network the Minutemen have set up."

"So we should start calling you 'General', Overboss?", MacKenzie asked.

"Sheriff, that is the least of our problems.", the General replied. "By the way, is it 'Sheriff' or 'Doctor'? I don't want a Hypoccratic Oath getting in the way of winning this war."

"I saved Colter's men because it was the best way to save my people, not because I wanted Colter's men to walk away.", MacKenzie shot back.

"I can accept that.", the General stated.

"Alright, the second project: all the Star Cores are back in place. How are the robotic defenses of Nuka-World working?"

"You really think it's going to get to that?", Fritsch asked. "The Gunners have been poking their noses around Nuka-World ever since I got here and never once have they been that serious."

"This time they will be.", the General warned. "Where ever they hit next will be with all their might. They're going to try to tear chunks out of the Commonwealth's ability to defeat them or entrench in order to make themselves undefeatable. And they're only going to entrench if they can bet that they're made of sterner stuff than the Commonwealth. Hence, the propaganda that my real civilians have to be flipping out over right now.

"So, robots? Defenses?"

Fritsch nodded. "I've been working with that one fix-it-all Trader. Every robot that survived you is back on line and defending Nuka-World. That includes an instruction to raise the alarm if under attack."

"Great, that means I can reprioritize you both to the last project.", the General informed. "The Vault-Tec generator designs I gave you from Vault 88. That's the main goal that needs to be accomplished. Otherwise, we're going to have people stranded out at the power plant and try to defend two places at once and either lose power for defenses or just lose.

"Salvage the power plant if you have to. Use everyone, shut down trading booths if you need to. Get the generator inside the walls up and running."

The General started to explain rather than command. "The only way to maintain trade will be to ensure that the Gunners will break their teeth on Nuka-World and they know it. So the plan is to first keep even the idea of the tram line off the table for them. According to some of their own records, pulling a Hannibal through the mountains to get here gives them a fifty percent casualty rate from the start. And I seriously doubt they have the capacity to move one of those tanks through as well. Taking away any possibility of a soft target, and I'm hoping Nuka-World can remain open.

"If it can't: shut it down. I'll take the Gunners losing resources with the opportunity of those caps every time.

"I'm going to see if I can get you a military advisor. Put the any of my 'tribute' caps in the back and leave the room empty until tomorrow. I'll pick them up."

Fritsch asked. "What about the perimeter? If everyone's inside the walls, then we'll only have eyes so far, right?"

The General nodded. "I have an idea about that too. You just get that generator in here and scatter as many laser turrets along the walls of the park as you can."

2

"Get out of here before I...oh, it's you.", Brett Dunmore not so greeted the General.

The General took off her hat. "Do you have a TV?"

"T? V?", Dunmore repeated.

"A television? I'm going to take the answer as no.", the General surmised. "I'm going to have to ask you to make a decision. It's a big one. So I'd want to put it to your whole family."

He frowned. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Deadly." the General stated.

Once Monique and Kali were in the Dunmore Homestead's living room, the General began. "The Gunners have just declared war on the Commonwealth. I expect them to come this way. In my hands, I want them to regret that decision. In your hands, your ex-Gunner family is alone out here in a maybe they'll come, maybe they won't situation."

Monique crossed her arms. "And I suppose the big, bad Overboss has a solution. I'm just dying to hear this."

"Have I not taken care of the raiders that you were staring down everyday?", the General asked.

"No."

"Have I not freed the traders?"

"No."

"Did you not see the fireworks display from the power plant turning back on?"

"I saw."

"Then maybe, just maybe, I'm actually living up to the hype.", the General countered. "But it still takes other people. My sheriff in Nuka-World can hold the people together, and she's got the techs to keep the place running. But they're traders and not fighting men. I need a military advisor for them because I have an entire Commonwealth to think about.

"In exchange, we have walls and food and numbers and luck holding electricity. So can I get you to provide protection for your family by helping some innocent people defend theirs?"

The family exchanged looks among themselves. "Are they really coming?", Brett asked.

"Once you're inside, you can watch Red Eye's broadcast for yourselves. Apparently, he's signed up with the Gunners and upgraded to the small screen.", the General assured.

"And our farm?", Monique asked.

The General shrugged. "I can't really do anything about an unmanned farm. I can try to have my perimeter man take a look-see every now and again, but I can't promise anything."

Monique smirked. "Well, at least she's honest. Alright, we'll do it. But they have to listen to us."

"MacKenzie is my sheriff of Nuka-World. She runs the place.", the General warned. "But she's got enough sense in her head to not be stupid. She'll listen to everything that makes sense, even if it's at the expense of something for the greater good.

"Take this letter. They'll show you up to her."

Brett gave the message a strange look. "This doesn't look like any writing I've ever seen. Is it some type of code?"

The General frowned. "My handwriting is in cursive rather than block text. Don't worry, my other ex-Gunner, MacCready, had a difficulty with it as well."

3

"Cito!", the General called out.

The man spotted the General and then slid down one of the ropes of the lift to Cappy's Tree house. The General was still amazed at how we moved over the cages. The ghoulrillas still made her nervous. But she had to calm her nerves or risk offending the very force she planned to call upon.

"Friend.", Cito greeted. "You come to tell Cito of new friends. Ones you sent not angry and fight all time like ones that come before."

"I wish.", the General stated. "Bad people might be coming here. They want to destroy...break our homes. Kill people."

"You want help go fight?", Cito asked. "You help family. Cito family help go fight."

"Not exactly.", the General informed. "I am trying to keep my people safe in Nuka-World. I need someone who I know can survive to go around, in the land, and look for the bad people. They are called Gunners, and generally wear green. Sometimes they have a picture of a skull. Can I ask you to look for them and if you see them, come and tell my friends at Nuka-Town? er, The park over that way."

"Cito don't understand. What good it do to tell coming if not fight?"

The General drew her customized laser pistol and fired a heated red bolt of energy.

"Cito know better now. Will look for Gun-ner. Cito family will find."

With Cito grunting to the ghoulrillas, the General was able to take her leave. All that was left to do was teleport to the caps left for her by the traders and teleport over to the Castle via the Institute's molecular relay. There was no telling what fresh hell was happening in her capital.


	57. The Commonwealth Civil War - 3

In a flash of lightning, the Director materialized in the chamber of the Molecular Relay Room. As her vision cleared, she saw that she was surrounded by the entire directorate. She looked from the hardened, saddened faces of each of them to the next. "There's no way I can convince you I'm in a hurry and will address your concerns at a more convenient time?"

Dr. Ayo corrected her. "The Institute's been making strides under your...influence. We've managed to find and recruit two outsiders of our standards in a matter of months. The one previous to that was Dr. Li _a decade_ ago. We've taken in every scrap of Brotherhood of Steel technology from the airport without any interference from the wastelanders. The Railroad has been a thorn in our side for years and now serves us. Even our generator is finally online. And the possibility of true, strong A.B. is finally open to us."

"Huh?", the Director asked.

"Artificial Behavior.", the Head of Robotics explained. "It's amazing. I keep forgetting you're not a scientist with the way you think. Your predictive problem solving is leaps beyond baseline."

"Okay...", the woman acknowledged. "So what are you all doing here?"

"Offering our help. Actively.", Dr. Filmore answered. "Considering the situation that was just broadcast, it's easy to guess that you were going to molecular relay from wherever you were to Fort Independence. Rather than cut into the response time with a formal meeting of the directorate, we've decided to get your thoughts here. It's not like you can offer the technical guidance to oversee our completing your directives anyway."

"Alright then.", the Director stated.

Binet offered. "We can start ramping up synth production at any time. Due to the moratorium, we even have a back stock of construction materials. Coupled with our pre-existing plans to increase output when the generator came online, we can send as many troops into battle against these Gunners as are needed."

"No.", their leader stopped.

"I don't understand.", Madison stated.

"The Commonwealth has had too many easy victories. They need to understand that wars are actually hard won. If we bail them out now, then they'll come to believe that is the way of the world. Yes, they will ignore the squalor they live in. Yes, even with the ruins of a greater civilization surrounding them. In the Bhagavad Gita, it is said that the greatest illusion in the world is that people think that they will live forever no matter how many people just like them die around them everyday."

The Director continued. "We can't afford that. Remain victorious - sure. Of course, I intend to defeat the Gunners. But it has to be in a way that the Commonwealth doesn't ever see a cowboy riding over the horizon to save the day. Comparing the number of deaths that's going to cause to the number of deaths when the Commonwealth is truly lost because it can't actually defend itself shows that there is only one option. And that's to orchestrate the Commonwealth's defense with Commonwealth resources.

"So, sure: produce some more of the LASER MUSKET remakes. But any resources you thought were going to this fight need to go into either defending the Institute in case I'm very badly misjudging the situation, or researching the technology that is going to redefine mankind."

Dr. Ayo took a breath. "If you believe that wise, Director."

The Director snapped her fingers. "There is one thing you that I need done. Can you produce type 2s that can do precision technical work with some sort of on board library? I'll need a crew of them."

The head of Robotics shook his head. "If one of us was directing the work, possibly. But your grammar implies that you're going to be leading them on a project yourself. For that kind of interpretive language parsing, self-directive behavior, applied knowledge base...You can't do that without mark 3s.

"What would you even need them for?"

The Director frowned. "I'm lifting the ban on mark 3 production for the fulfillment of this and this alone. Program them to follow orders without question, even for explanation. And if their memories of post-manufacture events can't be easily recovered, that would be a bonus."

Dr. Ayo raised his hand. "Alright, really. What would you even need them for?"

The Director shook her head. "I need you to not ask. I have a backup plan in mind if casualties mount to high. But I can't tell you. For the sake of the Institute. Yes, I know no one is going to tell it to anyone outside of the Institute. But if by some dark miracle the Railroad still has a leak or even looking back through the annals of history: I can't tell you.

"If you truly trust me, just get them built and keep them shut down until I come for them."

The scientists exchanged looks. "Of course, Director.", Binet answered.

"Thank you.", the Director replied. "Now clear the chamber. I've got to get to the Castle asap."


	58. The Commonwealth Civil War - 4

The Castle was in pandemonium. Not chaos. Everyone was actually organized about what they were doing. The gates, even the one to the sea entrance, were on lock down. Ammunition was being toted up to grenadiers minding the artillery. Lookouts patrolled the walls attempting to spot either a target or a plume of smoke designating one. Radio Freedom was flurry of arms surrounding the still calm voice of assured assistance as he received check ins from settlements that weren't under attack.

A bolt of lightning nearly blinding everyone in the room stalled the bickering of the colonels gathered in the General's office. They were left equally speechless when the General appeared from it.

The General immediately started scolding. "No one is supposed to be in my office."

"The rumors about teleportation were true?", Desdemona breathed.

"What part of following my orders do my Colonels have a problem with?", the General continued.

"No, you don't get to do that.", Preston denied. "You can't just appear out of thin air and turn a breach of protocol on us."

The General calmed in the face of Preston. "And yet, that's what I have to do.

"With the surprise of the situation, I had to make my way here as fast as possible. And yes, that meant faster than the vertibird that should be carrying the Commonwealth's star journalist back from what we've managed to turn Nuka-World back into. I had expected my office unoccupied, as I left very _specific_ standing orders to that effect. So I had the Institute teleport me here.

"No one can know for certain that the Institute has a teleporter. Rumors, fine. There have always been rumors about what the Institute can do. And those rumors help keep the Commonwealth together, by requiring each other for strength against the Institute even while benefiting from relying on its power. But after the whole synth replacement debacles over the years, the public would panic if they new for certain that an Institute agent could appear by their bedside in the middle of the night. This has to remain top secret. You are ordered to not, not even you Desdemona, can tell anyone in your command this. You all have to even keep it from Brandis and Zao."

"But Piper has published/", Ronnie Shaw started.

"She's published what she's surmised without a source.", the General stated. "That makes it a rumor. As soon as there are confirmed eye-witnesses that are Colonels in the Minutemen, it becomes fact. It can't be fact.

"Especially when we have bigger fish to fry."

Preston straightened himself. "Radio Freedom has confirmed what's being said in the broadcast. Somerville Place is no longer under Minutemen control. Somerville has survivors on the move ever since coming under tank fire.

"We'd have a better accounting had we known this was coming.", he said while staring at the Colonel of Intelligence.

Desdemona shrugged. "How could you not? A mercenary group that's thrived on the countless conflicts creating a demand for wetwork is the last gang standing in the entire Commonwealth. We're the peace keeping force moving the civilian government forward. Of course they're going to attack you."

The General agreed. "I saw it coming. That's why I've been trying to convince everyone that the actual hard fights were ahead of us."

"Then where are they hitting next?", Shaw demanded.

The General nodded. "They've already told us. Gather around me and I'll show you.", she said while sticking out her Pip Boy.

"They hit Somerville with tanks. Since they couldn't move around something as large as a tank while keeping the surprise factor with the population, every tank they have has to be in one spot. While it's unusual to try to keep tanks in uneven and marshy ground, they kind of had to."

Desdemona's ASSAULT GAS MASK convered head nodded. "Somerville is deep in Gunner territory. Right between Vault 95 and Gunner Plaza. They could only keep them out of sight in their own neighborhood. And then they used those tanks to get a...how do you say?"

"Shock and awe.", the General supplied.

The other woman agreed. "That's it, shock and awe advantage. Particularly since they have television and we don't. They get to make propaganda that really sells it to the regular folk of the Commonwealth. Shows the very people that support us how much of a threat they are and how little we can defend ourselves.

"But they bet it all on an opening move."

Preston objected. "I was at the Quincy Massacre. Gunners can keep up a fight."

"I'm sure.", the General said. "But because they moved with surprise, we know whatever tanks they have are all in one place. And because they hit Somerville, we know where they are and what terrain they're on. Plus, because of the constraints of the map, they only have two choices."

Desdemona cut in. "Somerville lay directly between the Plaza and the vault. Now, they have a connecting supply route without opposition. If they move on Murkwater, they get the same all the way to Quincy where they've been holed up for the past twenty years.

"But they'd have to move those tanks through really swampy areas. If they swing north, not only do they get to hit Egret Tours Marina but if Egret falls the whole river becomes vulnerable. You've been working to get a navy for situations like this."

"Exactly.", the General confirmed. "We can make the choice for the Gunners. By fortifying Egret Tours and evacuating Murkwater we can get them to choose to connect themselves across their territory instead of threatening a northward push. And with civilians in the way like they are, we're going to give them that."

Preston objected. "They're stuck in that triangle though. Sheriff Somerville's and now with Murkwater, Sheriff MacCready's people are homeless with no where to go. Unless...no."

"It's the only place safe to send them.", the General told Preston.

"That ghoul is five minutes from being feral. I don't think she was that sane to begin with.", Preston continued.

"She's not sheriff there, Clem is. And Vault 88 is a vault: complete with a blast door a nuclear weapon can't pierce, food and water and electrically secure, and actually prepared to take on a host of refugees at a moment's notice. Which is exactly the situation we have here. We can keep every civilian alive safe for the duration of this conflict. I can't tell people to wander the swamps on the basis of Overseer Barstow is kind of scary.", the General explained.

"So I'm going to go out there and tell Radio Freedom to get on the horn and have everyone that can move to pick up everyone who can't and hightail it over to Vault 88. Then everyone who isn't a Minuteman needs to start setting up internal defenses in case that vault is somehow breached while everyone who is keeps trekking until they reach Jamaica Plain."

"Because Quincy lies right between Vault 88 and Warwick Homestead.", Preston realized.

"And therein lies the nightmare.", Desdemona realized.

"Brandis' command is based in Fort Hagen, which keeps in check all those Gunners in their highway nests. As long as Egret Tours remains secure and resupplied by the river, there's little chance of the Gunners doing anything but trying to fortify against us making a counter attack against Vault 95 or Gunner Plaza. With the civilians safe in Vault 88, this entire area in the south is theirs but to press north they'd have to cut through every super mutant left alive after Diamond City - Fallon's, the hospital, everything.

"Which leaves them one front with actual juicy targets. Not only can they try for Warwick Homestead from Quincy, but they can set their sights on a full council member's independent community: the Atom Cats Garage. And if they manage to take both, they negate our naval advantage in the east leaving us without a beach head of our own to cut into them. After that they can stick to defense in both of those spots and it's the march north through Jamaica Plain straight to the Castle."

The General held her voice steady. "They don't even need to make it all the way here to cut the Castle off from the communities. Our only access to Goodneighbor, Bunker Hill, Diamond City and Vault 88 will be by water. And I don't think the civilian population will see it that way."

Preston began to understand. "So who ever's running the Gunners knows propaganda. The Commonwealth's already been shown we're not invincible by the loss of one of our settlements, and now we're just going to concede another. But if the Castle is even symbolically separated, it's another hit without even a battlefield victory. And if we were to lose the Castle again...even with an air and sea evacuation..."

"Not you're understanding. But we/"

The General was cut off by a knocking on the door. "Come.", she called out.

"General.", the Minutemen started. "Spotters on top of the wall saw some Gunners on the road. But there's like three of them. And they're waving a white flag."

Shaw double took. "They can't be surrendering."

The General winced. "They're parleying. They get to show that they're willing to negotiate in an effort to make us the bad guys in this. They probably recorded a statement of intent and even if we can't spot it, they'll be filming the approach to the Castle. If we open fire, we're warmongers. But negotiations are going to be useless because everything they want we can't give them and everything we want would destroy their existence as a mercenary group.

So we have to agree to negotiate and try to play the game of looking like we're the peaceful ones. Dang it- that's what they want. Time to move their tanks through the swamps."

The General's eyes raced behind her WRAPAROUND GOGGLES. She looked back up at the waiting Minuteman, then started talking and walking. "Send an armed party out to meet them. Outnumber them, be wary of an ambush but don't fire first. If they're on the up and up, wait for my signal and then lead them back here. Not before."

The General made her way over to Radio Freedom by the time the Minutemen had ran off to start gathering soldiers for the meeting.

She stuck her Pip Boy under Radio Freedom's nose. "Keep broadcasting on Minutemen Radio that no other settlement has come under attack, as long as that remains true. Send only that message repeating and music out over the regular broadcast. On the CB, contact the Slog and Saugus Ironworks and Finch Farm...you know what, grab Croup Manor and Greentop Nursery too. Plus every single APC crew in the area. Get as many Minutemen to surround Hub City Auto Wreckers tonight as you can. And give them orders straight from me to attack the Gunners there at dawn and clear them from that entire highway heading north. But only over the CB radios that we have. And make sure no one broadcasts otherwise from a settlement beacon."

The General stood tall. "Now to offer these Gunners at the gate the opportunity to negotiate at Goodneighbor in a few days like we did with the Triggermen. It was precedent setting after all."


	59. The Commonwealth Civil War - 5

Author's Note: Absolute Configuration is correct. I was intending to use Colonel _Cypress_ , the Gunner officer that ordered the move on Nuka-World in game. _Commander_ Cruz is the local head of guard at Gunner Plaza, on par with (in this story) a Minutemen Sheriff even of an important place - like Sturges in Sanctuary. From my own personal game play, Gunner ranks flow from top down Colonel - Captain - Commander - Lieutenant - Corporal - Sargent - Private - Recruit. This (but none of the grammar) has been corrected in Chapter 55.

Back to it then.

1

She should have expected this. She did expect this. She just didn't expect so much of it.

The General actually glowered at the council assembled before her. Roxxy was justifiably pensive and she got that. Trish appeared like she could shrug her shoulders but could not care enough to use the energy, and she understood that as well. Hancock's expression, if she could read the ghoul's malformed face, was one of sympathy and she appreciated that. The Institute's clean room suit covered representative would obey her in all things...she thought. But Acting Mayor Geneva, Current Representative Calvin, and Old Man Stockton tried their level best to lose their minds.

"What are you going to do to make peace with the Gunners?", Geneva pressed.

"Whatever you're going to give them isn't coming from us.", Kessler warned.

"Oh my god, a war. I just came to pick up the parts from the foundry. We should have never listened to you.", Calvin worried.

And at that, the General slapped her hand against the table hard enough to silence them all.

"You fools need to remember that it is **I** who provide you the safety you enjoy with which you are hiding behind to bitch at me now." Hancock had heard her use language like this before, after some crazy times hitting the road with her. But none of the other representatives had, even if they've seen her in combat situations. So the ghoul folded his arms and settled in for a show.

In a bit more toned down manner, Geneva offered, "So you do have a path to peace with the Gunners."

"Is Diamond City going to pay for it?", Kessler accused. "Because Bunker Hill sure as hell isn't."

The General scoffed. "There isn't going to be a path to peace. We're going to war."

"Wait, what?", the table exclaimed. Except Trish. Trish mirrored Hancock as if she too knew the outcome and was just going to be entertained.

"Peace with Gunners is by definition untenable and by fate impossible.", the General began.

"They are a mercenary organization. They're entire existence is the execution of warfare. They are not Diamond City with an economy that pays fees to support Diamond City Security. They are not Minutemen looking to help each other out however they can. They only have one thing: war in exchange for caps.

"Given that the entire purpose of this council, the Commonwealth as a collective and the Minutemen itself is to make the world a peaceful place - what possible spot could the Gunners occupy in it? When there's no mercenary work left for a mercenary?

"They must go to war. They have to show their true colors as overhyped raiders. The war with us is what they are. Their victory condition is fracturing us into the squabbling, in danger, cap generating customers they need to exploit. Peace isn't in their immediate or end goals. That's why any attempt at peace is bound to fail."

Geneva nervously sputtered. "B-b-but that man Red Eye showed that the Gunners and the Minutemen were going to negotiate. Isn't that a pathway to at least stop the fighting."

"It's a stall.", Trish rasped out.

The General turned to her. "Oh, really? Care to explain."

The ghoul...well, not smiled. "The tank attack against a Minuteman settlement, and thanks for taking that on the chin for us instead of us getting hit, was all out of the blue, see? If he could keep up a surprise attack like that he would. Kick a guy when he's down and all that. So he's probably hit some snag and needs some time.

"How'd I do?"

The General shrugged. "You left out that broadcasting a desire to negotiate gets people like them to think I'm somehow the evil overlord that actually wants a war.

"But basically right. A lot of the southern Commonwealth is marsh and mountain. Tanks don't travel well outside of flat land that can support their weight. They need time to set up their next attack if they want it supported by tank fire. And considering that Minutemen settlements are armed with artillery, Colonel Cypress must understand that they need it to be successful."

Calvin tried to think but was simply confused. "So you're just going to wait until you're attacked again. Enjoy a few days peace despite knowing...?"

The General winced and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Nah. I think our General's got a plan cooking right now.", Hancock suggested.

"Of course I have plan.", she followed with some annoyance. "I've gone over the entire map with my colonels already. First, there is only one hole up for Gunners in the north and that should be destroyed in the next few hours. Secondly, we know where those tanks started and the fact that they are slow: so I'm reinforcing our river control so that they turn to Murkwater. Sure, the Minutemen will lose another settlement but without civilian casualties and the Gunners true fighting force will be in the deepest bogs of the Commonwealth with the most obstacles between it and any communities."

"Except us.", Roxxy realized solemnly.

The General took in a breath and sat back down, not even realizing that she had stood. "Except the Atom Cats Garage and another more valuable Minutemen settlement, Warwick Homestead."

"What makes that farm so much more valuable than one of our communities?", Old Man Stockton charged.

The General glared at him. "First, I didn't say more valuable than the Atom Cats garage. Had you kept quiet, I could have explained why Warwick is more valuable than Murkwater. Second, I know what you're doing and you need to quit it.

"The Turing tests were valid. The synths didn't pass. Sheriff Curie did, and that's why she's currently directing Egret Tours Marina on the front lines keeping you safe. So you need to either let your imagined resentment go, bury your desire for some past revenge, or just be quiet and do what I say."

"And what are you saying that we should do?", the Institute rep asked in a potentially feminine voice.

The General side nodded. "I'm ramping up recruitment into the Minutemen. And if you want your communities safe, you'll support me in this."

Calvin objected. "The Minutemen want our people to join up and die in this?"

"I'm trying to avoid casualties, Calvin.", the General admonished. "Remember, not only are all Minutemen _my_ people but so are _you_. With the success of the campaign of overwhelming force against Hub City Autowreckers, there won't be a Gunner north of a line drawn from Fort Hagen through the communities all the way to the Castle. New recruits will be put either in the north or under Colonel Brandis or Admiral Zao for training until battlefield ready. This will allow me to shift qualified people south for the effort of keeping the communities safe and ending this threat. You know, like I do."

The table slowly turned to a bunch of quiet nods.

"You already got your recruitment posters plastered over my town.", Hancock stated. "If a drifter wants to settle down into a career and a spot, they know where to go."

Calvin agreed. "I'll bring this to Overseer MacNamara, if your office in Vault 81 hasn't already. Maybe even Niel'll turn up as a Minutemen. Wouldn't that be something?"

Stockton interrupted. "Okay. So now what makes Warwick so special."

"The same thing that makes the Atom Cats by location alone so special.", the General stated. "They're beach heads. Even if the Gunners manage to cut off either of those completely, they can still be reinforced and resupplied navally. We can still attack the Gunner stronghold of Quincy out of them. That's why even if the Atom Cats weren't a voting community, we all still can't afford to lose them."

She then turned to Roxxy. "Speaking of that. Can I count on the Atom Cats for power armor repair and the like?"

"Skippilly-dee.", the rep replied. "I mean, I'll have to rap up Zeke. But aside from the bread/"

"I'll see what can be done.", the General assured.

Trish's eyes nearly lit on fire. "Bread? You mean like caps?

"You know, with these heroic Minutemen putting life and limb on the line for us, they're going to need medicines to heal from the injuries they're going to sustain in saving all of you and your homes. We should pass the hat and have ourselves a collection - that we all put in _equally_ so no body's taken advantage of - so the government can afford the life saving, battlefield chems needed."

Geneva nodded. "I can see that."

The General was still staring at Trish licking what was left of her lips over what she felt was going to take weeks to pull off. "Put it to paper, then a majority but preferably all of you sign it. It's the only way to pass a law and we're supposed to be the government. For convenience sake, I'll make the Minutemen offices in your communities available so you won't have to hit the roads. Plus, that'll keep the roads open for reinforcing the front lines."

Trish had already managed to obtain paper and an actual PEN to ensure that all communities were equally responsible for chems. "Maybe that should read 'Minutemen resupply' instead of just 'chems and the occasional shore leave', Trish? Or is there something we're missing?"

Trish nodded absently while frantically rewriting. "Whatever Diamond City wants.", she rasped.

"So everyone's fully on board with this?", the General asked.

The table nodded in response. She continued, "Then I want that on paper as well. A formal declaration of war against the Gunners. But we should date it for two days from now, as the negotiations are tomorrow."

Hancock snapped his fingers and pointed at her. He then proceeded to start writing out that bill.

The Institute representative turned to the General, paused, and then returned to her beginning position. But as if the thought was already in the air, Roxxy asked it aloud. "How's the kaibosh going to be put on those armadillos? Tortoise to hair, they're still the bees knees."

Stockton gaped at her. Calvin stopped his signature. "What did you say?"

"I agree that a slow tank still arrives at is destination and becomes a devastating weapon.", the General replied to Roxxy. "I hope you don't mind me speaking too graphically."

The General went over to her footlocker and pulled out a QUAD BARRELLED MISSILE LAUNCHER. "The most direct way to take a tank off the battlefield is to penetrate it with direct fire and incinerate its crew. This leaves the tank available to be captured and repaired.

"Another method available is by MOLOTOV COCKTAIL. This overheats the tank's systems, burns its filters, seeps burning liquid into any crack and potentially also suffocates or burns its crew. This doesn't leave the vehicle in much of a repairable shape though."

"What about MINI-NUKES?", Geneva proposed. "I know that you've been stockpiling them."

"I've been stockpiling them because I'm making them illegal.", the General stated. "I get...I don't understand or sympathize, but I get that you have no idea of the world I came from. The one before the bombs dropped. But you do understand not to drink contaminated water, how dangerous rad storms are, the new monsters that walk the earth... I'm told that most people have never actually swum anywhere due to the danger from radiation alone, let alone mirelurks.

"Look alive people. I am still not allowing nor will I ever authorize another nuclear blast. Ever. I will sacrifice men's lives marking one of these tanks with smoke for artillery fire before I ever allow another nuclear device to see the light of day. Do you understand me? If so, I never want to hear the idea again.

"If not, there's going to be consequences and reprucussions."


	60. The Commonwealth Civil War - 6

It was difficult for the General to feel that she was back in the life she left at all. She couldn't really remembering it happening ever since she woke up in this hellscape. But this did remind her of some times in college. She had dragged a chair out to sit in the shade next to Radio Freedom. She appreciated his professionalism: the man hadn't done anything to acknowledge her presence besides his initial salute and she couldn't detect a change from his regular broadcast and coordination of APCs and boats, unless she listened for the names 'Sommerville' or 'Murkwater' and never heard them. With the amount of papers in her hand she needed to study, it was nearly like sitting out in the quad in pre-law.

First were the after action reports she had every sergeant and temporary field leader named by a sheriff after Hub City Autowreckers. There were more than she expected, but that was fine. She had demanded everyone write an account of their part of the fight, so she could map out in her mind as close to what really happened without actually being there. And it's not like anyone had a working video recorder without her taking even more Institute tech let alone asking a man into battle with camera instead of a rifle. (She couldn't bet on the Gunners respecting any of the old rules of war, like understanding war correspondents were civilians. Hell, if Piper ever...let's not think about that now.)

The reports did tell her that the more frightening of the two scenarios she had in her head were correct. Hub City was just about empty when her forces got there. Sure, it allowed them to take their time avoiding casualties with traps. The primary resistance were leftover auto turrets and a single Assaultron guarding the main terminal. And it did allow her forces to confirm that the highway leading north from there was clear of gunner activity as well.

But other reports had the contents of that terminal written down. It's not like anyone could find an unused holotape to just record the entire thing on. Even she had more than she bothered to count...yet couldn't bare to erase a one. Each cartridge had someone's last warning to their family, or note of corruption in her world...just some little piece of time that could be preserved. And in this wasteland, there was very little left to preserve.

So one of her people that was literate had transcribed everything he could find on the device. The Gunner's Captain's notes stated that they had been ordered to abandon the position and head south. Nearly every report warned that this was a deceit, and that the enemy was wandering around the country side looking for targets of opportunity. She let the suspicion flourish among the communities and units patrolling nearby, better safe than sorry. But she thought the record was true. Colonel Cypress had planned every inch of this campaign against her, er...she meant the Commonwealth, and was drawing his troops back to turn a next engagement into a blood bath at best and a slaughter at worst.

Second in her studies were issues of Publick Occurences. It was one thing to anticipate what Piper would write and a wholly different thing to actually see what hit the eyes of the populace. She learned that lesson after her first 'interview' with the journalist when they met. Nuance could hit public opinion like a stack of bricks from twelve stories up.

The account of her battle overtaking the Forged seemed hesitant in its prose, reluctantly descriptive of heroics. Piper had never approached her what happened. But apparently the Minutemen that were there had never actually _lied_ about the event, yet she began to see why everyone thought of her as savior. She felt she had never taken an undue risk in her actions, and in honest self assessment probably had not. But it was important for her troops to feel inspired so they had started over hyping her actions unto themselves. It had become a point of pride, a status symbol to witness the General doing the impossible. So every action she performed became the impossible.

It made her wonder what simply reading in the sun while listening to the radio(s) would be told as a day or a month from now.

What made up the constitution of the Commonwealth had been reprinted faithfully. And the commentary was an initial call for hope and unity and hippy-dippy flower power that the General had hoped for. Absent were all the catches in the language that Preston had found and lamented. She wondered if she could get Piper's poetry to stick as a an official preamble.

What struck her as strange was that she did not have an issue discussing the Gunners. No harrowing tail of flying from Nuka-World. No collection of what had happened at Sommerville, or Murkwater, or Hub City. And she knew Piper was in Goodneighbor again, silently present for the negotiations that would begin any second now on Silver Shroud Radio. She still could not imagine how that issue would read.

She had sent Preston and Shaw to make the negotiations look official. But the General was so confident that there would be no common ground that she had no intention of attending herself. Leaving herself a mystery to Cypress was worth leaving Cypress a mystery to her, as she was confident it would annoy him much more than it did her. So she had given her suboordinates instructions to agree to nothing and inspired them to realize that a mercenary organization with no interest in civilian activity could only want an environment that favored war and advantages in the upcoming war. Preston told her that he would indeed accept an unconditional, unilateral surrender of the Gunners, babe.

She had told him not to call her babe. And hugged him good-bye.


	61. The Commonwealth Civil War - 7

The General motioned for quiet. Activity at the Castle came to a stand still. Minutemen Radio still played over the courtyard. Radio Freedom turned to the General. After she shrugged, he donned his headphones. Soon after, the sound playing across the Castle was from the Silver Shroud channel. The Minutemen continued his coordination and his station unaffected.

"Hey, there Silver Shroud fans! This is Kent Connelly coming to you, live from the Third Rail again. For a more elegant explanation as to why, I defer to the intelligent, the informed, the inquisitive, the intrepid reporter from Publick Occurences - Piper Wright."

"Well, thanks for not going with 'the lovely' Kent. It attacks my credi/"

"I couldn't. Because y'know, the thing...with your cheeks?"

A swatting could be heard. "And from a ghoul."

"Ahem. Piper Wright here, on site.

"Here's what we know so far. Two days ago, a Minutemen settlement in the southern reaches of the Commonwealth - Sommerville Place - was attacked by tank fire according to Minutemen sources. Also according to Minutemen sources, Sheriff Sommerville evacuated the resident population to a currently undisclosed, secure location.

"A few moments after the attack, the reports were confirmed by Gunner propaganda officer code-named "Red Eye", alleged to be Randy: infamous in raider circles as a loud mouth braggart and quote 'as tough as a MUTFRUIT after a week's nap in a Brahmin pie' end quote.

"Gunner News Network continued to broadcast repeated claims of responsibility for the attack on Sommerville Place amidst Red-Eye's bragging and burning through four co-anchors in equally on air meltdowns, twice barely surviving the experience. Eventually footage was released of a similarly tank supported attack on an empty settlement reported to be Murkwater Station.

"After which, broadcasts contained footage of the Minutemen agreeing to meet with Gunner officials here in the Third Rail, reminiscent of the recent surrender of the Triggermen. Colonel Preston and Colonel Shaw of the Minutemen have already arrived. We are currently awaiting the Gunner's representation.

"There have been some changes to the format for this negotiation. While I am still not allowed to interrupt the proceedings with questions, there is no moderation by Goodneighbor mayor, John Hancock. While participants are remaining armed, there is a world wide cease fire between the government of the Commonwealth and anyone flying the Gunner insignia outside of any inhabited settlement or community continuing through the end of today from midnight this morning. There have not been any confirmed reports of a breach of this truce, holding for the past...8 hours, 45 minutes.

"The Community Council has met at the Castle yesterday in response to these developments. I've been unable to get a comment from either Acting Mayor Geneva of Diamond City (currently leading in my last poll by a factor of 3 compared to the combined support of Malcolm Latimer and Ann Codman) or Mayor Hancock.

"I hope that clanking in the background you hear is the Gunner delegation now. If it's the structure coming down on us, well - it's been nice reporting for you all."

A sound of a static charge, usually associated with a STEALTH BOY deactivation sounded.

"Preston Garvey identified. Ronnie Shaw identified. Kent Connelly identified. Piper Wright identified. Zone cleared of any hostiles."

"Kent, here. A fully loaded Assaultron just appeared in the middle of the room."

More clanking sounded.

"Now a man in a power armor frame, without the panelling, has come in the room with another Assaultron."

"So this is what the Minutemen are calling a soldier's uniform? Sure.

"I'm Colonel Cypress of this man's Gunners. Your leader calls herself a General. Why don't I see a General here?"

"Colonel Cypress, I'm Colonel Garvey and this is Colonel Shaw."

"Still not the General."

"She's lending her attention to other matters for the moment.

"I have been instructed to inform you that the action that has taken Hub City Autowreckers off the map for you as well as the highway line north of that was of 23:11 last night, 49 minutes before the temporary cease fire went into effect. In case you were wondering why you had lost contact with any asset Gunner related above the Fort Hagen - Castle Line."

"And I've been instructed to ask how you've been liking Murk Water. Got enough Mirelurk Queens eating your men?"

"Really, Shaw?"

"Well, I was instructed to speak freely. It's what came to mind, so half dozen of one six of the other?"

Gruff laughter took over the sound for a moment.

"So this is what the Minutemen have relied on. Posturing and attitude. No wonder your destruction has come so close. Whether physically in Quincy where we still rule or that of your ideals in Libertalia. Bravado and attitude can carry a rag tag bunch of misfits only so far and crumbles in the face of the true discipline of a soldier.

"Just like how the legend herself hasn't shown herself here to face me. And over a table, not even the battlefield. It's this cowering that makes your handling nearly too easy.

"But in the interest of _peace_ , like the honorable should offer their weakers, let's get down to it.

"You share a border with a country that holds a superior military. I suggest the Minutemen cower in their Castle and beg our deference before sending out unarmed diplomatic missions to it."

The General clenched her fist and bit it. "Come on Preston, I prepped you for this."

"The entire Commonwealth is under Minutemen protection as declared by the constitution its communities have signed.

"There are no borders. The Glowing Sea is uninhabited. As are the surrounding wastes."

"Yes!", the General silently cheered with a fist pump.

"And that stupidity shows how much danger you're in. Gunnertopia's capital is Gunner Plaza. And we intend to defend our country against every threat it faces, including your interference with out lifestyle."

"You mean extortion practices!"

The General winced. "Ronnie."

"Which are illlegal in the Commonwealth, in which you are operating."

"Good cover, Preston. Don't let him cement the idea of a separate entity instead of united Commonwealth. Keep it up.", the General continued to follow along - as if this were called shots in some complex game only she could follow.

"Everything in the Commonwealth is protected from threats like you.

"That's why we're here. To understand how you're going to concede the threat you pose before the Minutemen's charge to destroy all threats facing the Commonwealth turns to your motley crew."

"We're here because you fear our strength. You know we have the weaponry to take...back any community under our protection from you. You know your troop of hikers would fall by the dozens to each and every one of my war hardened soldiers. That's why your figure head hides from me."

The General tried to will her thought all the way to Diamond City. "Come on Preston, you have to see it."

But it was Ronnie's voice that came over the radio.

"Like how you've shown up with Assaultrons under cloak? So you can stomp around in an empty frame our privates would be ashamed to be seen in as if that was something while really protected by not even people, because your people aren't willing to defend you.

"You just want the chaos back. The very chaos we've gotten rid of. All you want is to pad your pockets with the fear of an unstable world and our eliminating threats for free have cut into your profits, permanently. And once we get rid of things like you, there won't even be a need for people like you. You're looking at the end coming and can't stare something worse than death in the eye. Retirement.

"Hell, I understand. I remember walking away from the force. After you Gunners destroyed Quincy. Losing the Castle. Wire. I had to make peace with having done all I could do. And on top of that, unlike you it was for people and not my own pocket book. It's hard.

"But you won't be letting down anyone by stopping. You'll be freeing people from a war that doesn't have to happen. There's plenty of killers that became artists, warriors that became scholars, criminals that became wisened: you can do the same."

"I am not going to let anyone down, Minuteman. I'm going to defend the free people of Gunnertopia from wherever you attack from. If you're set up at Warwick Homestead, we will meet you in battle there. If you are set up at the Atom Cats' Garage, we will meet you there. Any place that holds any Minutemen assets is a clear an present danger to us, even Diamond City itself, and we will defend ourselves from those places first. Any everyone listening can be warned of that.

"You know, you could just concede everything south of this Hagen - Independence Line to me here. It would save so many lives. And not doing so proves you have no interest in the lives of the civilians of the Commonwealth. Only the power you've accrued becoming the cronies of politicians."

"You know I'm tired of listening to this. I have a counter offer. You take the rest of this day's ceasefire to flee down to your hideout at Gunner Plaza and wait for us there. We won't be long."

"Well damn, Preston."

"His robots can show him the door if he's forgotten."


	62. The Commonwealth Civil War - 8

The two Minutemen both gave thumbs up to a figure so far away it would take a scope to see the gestures. But the sloshing they heard through the mists assured them that it was seen.

Their crew's armored personnel carrier was delivered so far south that it was nearly instantly under threat of getting stuck in the marshes. The boat Admiral Zao's people brought them on couldn't make any headway at all. So they had set out on foot, hunting as stealthily as they could. If they could just catch the prey that diverted them from the truly bloodthirsty battle waging to the north, maybe that battle would not be any more dangerous when they returned to it.

And then they had managed a minor miracle. Not only was the wayward tank that the Railroad had found actually wayward. One of the two had managed to spot the thing before its crew had spotted them. They ducked down and struggled to find the power armor of their private in the mist. But once they had, it was time to put the plan in action.

The power armor melded in with the atmosphere, barely painted in a nigh transparent coating of light blue over the metal and a white musket and lightning with stars insignia on the torso. It sloshed its way through the marsh, sparingly using its thrusters to push its way through the muck. When it passed the other Minutemen, the power armor fired off its GATLING LASER at its target.

The tank seem suitably interested in it and distracted from all else. The double barrels rotated toward the power armor at a menacing pace. The power armor remained in one spot, nearly jogging its legs to keep from sinking too deep into the marsh while allowing its jets to cool down. The laser kept up intermittent bursts of fire against the tank to hold its attention. Only when the barrels were actually aimed did the armor propel itself out of the way.

The hidden Minutemen clutched their helmets as they were showered with fresh mud. One barely popped his head up, wiping his WELDING GOGGLES clear to determine the current state of affairs. The power armor had been missed, and had restarted its course inland while firing on the tank. The tank behaved as if it was more of a curiousity than a threat, tracking the armor with its double cannons.

When the armor had made some distance, it stopped. Now the laser fire was aimed at a single spot on the tank, focused as if the previous spattering was a mistake. (It wasn't and that was part of the plan.) Once the barrels were leveled the power armor took off again. Only now, it traveled straight away from the tank.

That may have been its mistake. This time the tank fired one barrel, corrected its aim, and then fired the other barrel. There was a brutal clang from the smoke and debris that had accompanied the two explosions.

"Did she...?", one Minutemen mused from his crouched position.

The other peered as hard as he could into the fog. He made out the armor, still mobile but with running dent that had destroyed the jets and immobilized the arm of it. It waddled off in the swamp, barely walking after the shell had glanced off it and blown the power armor off its feet and thrown it from where it stood after exploding in the ground nearby. The laser weapon it had carried rested on the other side of the craters made by the two concussive impacts.

"She got lucky.", the other remarked realizing that had the power armor taken that shot dead on instead of at the shallow angle it had, it wouldn't be off line but obliterated. Pilot included.

The tank began to grind its treads. The entire vehicle reseated itself with the intent to put the power armor and its pilot out of the tank's crew's misery. And in doing so exposed its backside, still glowing from repeated laser fire.

"And she did her job.", the Minutemen on lookout stated. "Time to do ours."

The other only nodded as he double checked the QUAD BARRELED MISSILE LAUNCHER. "Just like the Colonel ordered. Fire all four and assess when I reload you."

"Got it.", his partner replied as he leveled the weapon. And he didn't hesitate between shots. Just lined up the weapon with it's site and boom. Boom. BOOM. Pink.

"Reload, we've gotta/" The Minuteman was cut-off as he was pushed onto his back from the pressure wave. Even the still running power armor was forced to face plant in the mud. The idea had been correct, that repeated laser fire would help weaken the armor of the tanks and make it that much more easier to pierce with missile fire. So the first rocket was nearly completely deflected into the ground behind the tank, its hit and subsequent explosion did dent the armor. The second had embedded in the dent, but the explosive armor tossed itself from the tank and carried the missile's explosion with it. The third had actually opened the hole in the tank. The fourth then had a way in. And ignited the ammunition stores as well as the crew. So instead of the echoing sounds of human misery, a pressure wave and shards of what were once tank spread out over the swamp.

The Minuteman picked himself up. "Where's that reload?", he questioned. Then he realized his partner's leg had been pierced by a blade fashioned out of the raining shrapnel. "Don't worry, I got you." He wrestled with the groaning soldier in an effort to pull the metal from the leg, and then pull a STIMPACK from his belt in order to stab him with it.

"You pull it together. I'm going to see if she's drowned in her armor or just concussed. You are going to help me peace through that...well, the spot that tank was at. And pulling our APC back onto the boat."


	63. The Commonwealth Civil War - 9

X6-88 stood in a rag tag GUNNER FLANNELs and half of a load out of LEATHER ARMOR. It was necessary to maintain his cover as an ex-raider that heard the news. The Minutemen were organized now and there weren't any pickings for raiders. But the Gunners were gonna press a full assault and take everything anyway. Maybe you could sign up, put some work into the fight and get a taste afterwards. A small taste, sure - but better than what was comin' to the raider gangs up north.

Plus, need some tougher crew with the Shroud out there.

Having proven himself sufficiently stupid and superstitious, he was awarded the rank of recruit and the duty of doing every latrine digging, scavenge sorting, slides downhill job. After an aborted attempt to head through the super mutant populations to strike at the Commonwealth's communities and open another front in this war where he ended up choking out one of the beasts to save his sargent from an untimely, battle field getting ate; he had proven the old adage "If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough.". He received a promotion to private and the duty of doing every latrine digging, scavenge sorting, still slides downhill job.

Exactly as predicted by the projected psyche profiles of the Institute. Because of course his creators were perfectly accurate, his programming often told him so and he took comfort in that. And the fact that machines couldn't feel emotions so the battle field scares he experienced did not stress him.

Now his unit was being recalled to Gunner Plaza where it would be decided which of the actual open fronts it would be assigned to. The western river front was unlikely as it was a slow, pot shot affair that didn't seem to be going anywhere quickly. However, the eastern seaboard was turning out to be just as bloody as everyone had expected.

However, this was the opportunity for X6-88's real mission. (He often found it nice to think of himself by his designation, reminding himself that he was just a machine. It's not like he was risking a life with his mission.) Units as a whole were assigned by Colonel Cypress himself. And the synth was certain that he could assassinate the Gunner's commander if given a clear line of sight.

The problem he faced was the layers of secrecy that also needed to be maintained. His utilization was not authorized by the Director. Indeed, she even implicitly forbade his utilization when she told the Directorate that Institute resources were not to be used in this war. To convince, er, have his programming accept this assignment Dr. Ayo had to point out that his ultimate duty was to the Institute itself and not any given director. And since the current one was what was once called a 'liberal arts major' and not even a true scientist, she could hardly help herself in not conceiving of the best strategies even if she had excellent judgement and battlefield experience. Hence, while the Director's ideas were being accepted by the Directorate and supported whole heartedly rather than the in cautious, tenuous way they had been; the actual implementation required some thinking that was simply beyond her from time to time. So not only was he assigned to assassinate the Gunner leader, he had a higher priority of not being caught in order to avoid a political contest within the Institute itself.

After all, he was just trying to help.

As X6-88 came into the plaza, he had to worry about a new problem. Not worry, concern himself with. That would not work either. A new tactical situation arose that he had to process? That sounds better.

His unit was not the only one awaiting reassignment. And in another unit was one of the synths that had been assigned to the 'friendship initiative' within the Railroad. There was no telling if there was an accompanying Railroad asset in the room for starters. But on top of that, there was the question of whether or not the synth authorized by the director to attempt something like this would report back X6-88's presence to her. If she followed the chain of command, the report would reach Dr. Ayo in Synth Retention first as he commanded the initiative. If the synth let something slip to her Railroad handler, then it would inevitably reach the General and he could barely attempt to start calculating how the Railroad would react to continued Institute synth infiltration missions.

X6-88 was grateful that they were both machines and let out a sigh of relief. The two synths did not feel emotions and would not give anything away in their expressions of their realizations.

"What's up with you?", a Gunner from his unit asked. "You look like you just realized you stepped next to a mine instead of on one."

"Just glad we made it to the Plaza without encountering any more green skins." The perfect and crisp words out of place with the slur.

"I hear that. Muties are a menace.", the Gunner agreed.

Eventually, Colonel Cypress appeared. He was clad in a power armor frame but that was standard operating procedure for most high ranking Gunner officers and to be expected. It was the sounds of Assaultron footsteps that had attempted to hide in the clanking of that frame that garnered his attention. If heard them despite their stealth camoflauge then it meant that they were positioned among the units themselves. Had they been on the balcony, X6-88 was still confident that the generic LASER PISTOL he had would have been enough to kill the Colonel with a few well placed shots on his exposed face. But with an Assaultron standing right next to him, he'd have to disable the robot in order to have a clean shot which would allow the opportunity to escape.

This did provide additional information: Colonel Cypress did not trust his own men. This was devastating to the assassination tactic. If he was vulnerable to assassination from within than that meant there were other Gunners fully capable of running the organization without him - or at least so they thought. So unless Colonel Cypress was a tactical genius or behaved particularly unpredictably, there was no reason to remove him from leadership instead of wittle away his forces. In fact, if another commander was more trusted and trusting, these Assaultrons would be moved to the front lines instead of his personal protection.

Fortunately, there was the other synth. She could relay all this information back through the Railroad. He could easily destroy his unit and then teleport back to the Institute for plausible deniability should the Director object to his actions...er, Dr. Ayo's instruction issuance.

While he was contemplating this, Colonel Cypress had apparently already reassigned his unit. Fortunately, his cover as a stupid ex-raider gave him an excuse to not be aware of what was going on.


	64. The Commonwealth Civil War - 10

What was once a tug boat but now was the C.M.S. Fortune Burnee chugged her way up to the port at Egret Tours Marina. It slowed to stay a comfortable distance away from the docks even though there were open spaces, particularly with the previous wreck cleared out of the way. But now there was naval discipline, and she called in her presence by the on board CB radio to the recovered one being manned at the port. Given instruction to wait, it bobbed in the river until the C.M.S. Paul Revere chugged out leaving only the C.M.S. John Endecott in port. Having been granted permission, the Burnee finally came in.

"Permission to come ashore and crew to leave?", the Captain asked the woman standing on the dock. She stood in a full sheriff's uniform, with binoculars around her neck.

Curie called back. "Permission to come ashore granted, and leave to your crew. Zere are a few questions I have to ask of you though."

"Of course.", he said, motioning and order for his men to tie the ship down. Coming down, "What have you got for me?"

"Well, first, are zere any of your crew who require medical attention. I was originally programmed to be a Ms. Nanny. Hence, I can provide medical aid should any of your men need it.", Curie explained.

"Oh, you're the sentient synth!", the Captain exclaimed. "Sorry, ma'am. I mean, no ma'am. The Burnee took a few pot shots coming down from the lock. So while we might a few burns on the ship, none of the crew took an actual hit."

"Very well.", she continued. "Is the damage more extensive than the scoring I see above the water line?"

"I don't have a reason to think so."

"Hey, Cap'n.", one of the crew called out. "Where does she want the stuff?"

Curie raised an eyebrow.

"I already ordered that we'd get this cargo into your hands before anyone starts digging into your food stores."

"Thank you for zat, Captain.", Curie replied. "It does save me ze trouble of repositioning my people. Ze enemy has been particularly persistent today past ze bend. We have taken more zan a few smoke signals for artillery fire on attempts to come up river."

The Captain nodded. "Yeah, I think they were trying to coordinate something. We'd take a laser hit out of the woods from some cobbled together thing as if it was going to be a real attack. But after we responded with cannon fire and the thing exploded, I think we ended up softening the Gunner east highway position instead of vice versa...if that's where they're coming from."

"I concur, Captain.", Curie agreed. "Radio Freedom has given a report from ze Railroad zat ze enemy was going to test this front. So far, we are holding wizout casualty. On ze ozer hand, zis is ze first time we have had to take in four ships a day to keep supplied in artillery shells."

"That's not a smoke signal.", the Captain interrupted.

The Sheriff turned and winced at the red glare of a call for Minutemen coming from over the hills from the other side of the river bend. "Captain, I have learned in my travels with ze General zat overkill never is. May I ask ze aid of your crew in supplementing my people."

The man turned and started coarsely yelling. "You heard her, you dirty shuishuo! Drop those boxes and grab a laser musket. We got killing to do."

Curie turned away from him and took a step toward the start of the dock, in order to radio in for additional aid. She stopped when she saw an APC pull past the second building and Minutemen stormed out the back of it and disappeared again heading to where her spotters were stationed. Since that was already taken care of, she searched for the crew of the Revere and found they were already running up hill to support. She hoped that would be enough to repel whatever the Gunners were attempting.

Hope. Huh. She filed the thought and her surprise at it away. She did enjoy exploring her new found sentience post upgrading from her Ms. Nanny frame to her type 3 synth body. She sometimes wondered what new thoughts her mind would be capable of in the centuries coming when even more powerful hardware came about. But right now she had a job to do, so she set about double checking the power network to the HEAVY LASERS before the mechanical turrets. In case her hopes were for naught.

Ooh. Potential for despair: that would certainly be worth filing away for further examination.


	65. The Commonwealth Civil War - 11

"What's this?", the General asked. She flopped a copy of the latest Publick Occurrences onto the floor of the building that shared the name of the publication.

Piper looked up from her mimeograph machine. "What's what?"

 **smudges instead of the date**  
The Last War  
By Piper Wright

Now that the first multiple fronted war faces the Commonwealth, several questions face our new nation. Are our confederation of communities truly secure from the dangers that have made us call the world we live in 'wasteland'? Is a government, so eloquently stated by Mayor John Hancock of Goodneighbor that is 'of the people, for the people', strong enough to survive true hardship? And least importantly: can the woman that made it all possible hold under such incredible pressure?

To investigate these issues, this reporter traveled to the one place where all these issues and more are coming to a head. The community of the Atom Cat's Garage is nearly on the front line. It is within sight of what has been referred to as the East Highway Line, an informal marking of where the Minutemen and captured Gunners both believe the front is. So far, it is the only civilian population to come under tank fire, or at least targeting, that isn't a Minuteman Sheriff run settlement.

It is impossible to ignore the Minutemen presence here. Armored Personnel Carriers, repaired from untold age and damage from the pre-bomb era, race supplies up from Warwick Homestead and down from Jamaica Plain. Due to its proximity to open water, it has taken on the added status of 'beach head' and received supplies from Admiral Zao's navy as well. Whether it's Finch Farm mutfruits, Vault 114 ANTIBIOTICS, or even Sanctuary Hills copies of reading material there is no shortage coming to the Atom Cat's Garage.

Attache Anderson, of Colonel Preston's Department of Personnel, has set up a Mobile Army Hospital Unit just off-site of Garage territory. The Minutemen have certainly dedicated themselves to keeping the Garage itself from the effects of the war. Doc Anderson is the second busiest woman in the Commonwealth I have ever seen work. Although the mechanic Rowdy is certainly willing to give her a run for her caps working on Minutemen power armor.

The Highway Line separates the community (and Warwick Homestead, another civilian laden prize with 'beach head' status) from one of the Minutemen's greatest failures: Quincy. Due to a betrayal by a pre-reform Minuteman named Clint, the entire civilian population was displaced and the area has become a stronghold for the Gunners ever since. This entrenched force now has tanks, numbers and command of the position from which to threaten Commonwealth civilians.

Talk among the Minutemen was hard to come by. Every person in uniform was dedicated to the job. So much so that an actual interview was impossible. However, in the short window between one of the injured being capable of speaking coherently and Doc Anderson clearing them for a return of duty, some few questions could be answered. Most were a retelling of the heroics of their comrades making attacks on the Gunners or repelling in kind. Some were statements of thanks to the Commonwealth just for the simple act of being free,

But nearly everyone contradicted me: the greatest failure the said, was of Clint and Wire and others. Not in their betrayal of Minutemen but to the Minutemen ideals. The one thing every single person returned from the front by a medical need beyond the standard double STIMPACK issuance, and more incredibly returning to that very front, insisted upon was the need to live up to the ideal of helping in a minute's notice. This reporter inquired as to what inspired such dedication to a noble cause. Some said it was because of the people they left behind. Others cited their lost loved ones before the Minutemen's reform. All agreed on one thing - the General. No one was willing to let her down.

Our favorite vault dweller claims to not have met everyone, but you wouldn't know it from these accounts. Everyone has some far fetched tale of heroism that they credit to the General. And considering the incredible feats she's already completed - the integration of the dreaded Institute and the infamous Triggermen, or the destruction of the Rust Devils and the Forged - one can believe them. It's this belief in this one woman that answers our questions. She organized the government that protects our rights. She built from one hero a resurgent protective force that is right now fighting against the forces of chaos and exploitation.

That is why this reporter hopes for this lone woman. She was dropped from a world of treasures we can hardly imagine into what must still look like a nightmare to her. She was woken by the losses we knew the wasteland could inflict upon us at any moment. And yet, she has always been there for us. Our very own personal savior from day one.

So if you ever see her outside the Castle, or off the lines, take care of her. If she goes back to her home town of Sanctuary Hills, give her something put her legs up. Buy her clean water or cold Vim at the Third Rail. She will refuse of course. She'll be off on some other adventure or putting in days of building up a new place for others to lay their head or, as she is now, directing the effort that will save us all. But if any veteran deserves the rest of coming home, this one does.

"Yeah.", Piper replied after picking up the paper. "And?"

"And how could you write that I need a break?", the General countered.

"Blue!", Piper exclaimed. "You do. You've been absolutely everywhere the wasteland has to offer. You've never had a chance to sit down and just mourn - isn't that why you're pretending with me instead of moving on with Preston?

"You've ended how many threats? And those are just the human ones. The fact that you can stand in Diamond City and not be green is thanks to you. Hell, the fact that you can stand in Diamond City and not be _mechanical_ is thanks to you.

"And now you face a far flung force of mercenaries dredged up out of raider camps and who knows where originally. Led by a psychopath that's way to smart and patient for anyone's good.

"If anyone deserves a rest, it's you."

Blue tried to breathe the tension out. "I/

"You can disagree with me on this.", Piper warned.

She tried again. "I'm not disagreeing with you...on a surface level. I'm telling you that I can take it. And sure, you don't have any reason to buy that. But that's because you're a reporter. You need to be able to see the truth.

"But the people out there, the ones that see me as invincible. That's holding the Commonwealth together. That's building bridges that would have never existed - whether it's between upper stands residents and other statuses, or across the commonwealth itself. They can't afford...the Commonwealth can't afford to see me as in need of rest. I have to be tireless, impossible, incredible, in command like a Mistress of Mystery."

Blue pulled up a chair. The door to Publick Occurrences opened and when Nat stepped through, she could feel the mood of the room. The door closed quietly, blocking out the outdoor light.

"And I have to believe that I can keep going no matter what as well. I can't afford to be stopped by something as simple as burnout."

Piper walked over to her. Kneeling before her, she placed a hand on her thigh. "Burnout?"

"It's what we called it, before the bombs. I suppose now it's quaint to have such a luxury - like a food allergy. There was a time when I was in college. Shaun was just an idea we had and we weren't even saving up for Codsworth. I was missing my husband terribly. I had transitioned from a job that was nearly ingrained in me in the military to having to study ungodly amounts for my degree. Instead of the focused and determined 'I can beat this, I can _survive_ this' of the war I fell into a half-hearted rut. They called it the 'sophomore slump'. I called it getting too comfortable.

"When my husband came home for leave, I could see it in his eyes. He still had the fire. Not just of being determined to come back to me from the war. But the kind that makes a country great. I needed to be that for him. He was depending on me to be the lawyer and mother when he was in school after his tour.

"And now I have a Commonwealth depending on me. And I can't even do all the things that it needs because of these Gunners."

"Like what?", Nat asked.

"Shush you.", Piper admonished.

Blue turned to her. "Like a unified school. Do you realize that you're one of the few people, just because you live in Diamond City, that get to even have the opportunity to attend a school? With the teachers available here, and Vault 81 and with the Institute...I could be securing a school or even a library to use as a boarding school. Allowing the populace to become an educated one while protecting its children should be a given.

"And that's just one. In my time, I could travel anywhere I wanted in the entire Commonwealth in at most an hour. Universal running water. Electric plants. There's so much infrastructure needing to be rebuilt."

Nat offered, "Maybe our next issue should be that."

Piper nodded. "I'll get some paper and pencil. 'What We're Fighting For' by Piper Wright, with some small...tiny...miniscule help from Natalie Wright."


	66. The Commonwealth Civil War - 12

The General's office was crowded, and a return to the double table setup didn't help. Delegates, senators, councilors...they never had truly agreed on a name for the people who represented communities - all were curious of the new faces among them. However, no one really wanted to break the uneasy silence. All four of the General's colonels were there in full uniform, standing at attention behind the General's chair, along with someone in CAGE ARMOR and an ASSAULT GAS MASK hiding their identity. And when they were brought into the room, the escorting Minutemen had informed them that the General herself would answer all their questions once she returned.

The doors seemed to want to fly open, but the General stopped them from doing so. She entered the room in a rush and immediately sat down in her chair. The woman took a deliberate breath, as if breathing out 'commander' and 'soldier' and breathing in 'lawyer' and 'politician'. "Representatives, and representatives only: please be seated.

Oh. And 'at ease'."

Those representatives that were still standing took seats that were close to their regular ones. However, two of the new faces were already at the table. Only one remained standing.

Fahrenheit pointed at the new faces at the table. "What the hell?", in her normal voice.

The General took off her WRAPAROUND GOOGLES and put on a pair of BLACK RIMMED GLASSES. "I have done many things in the interests of the people of the Commonwealth. Some, closer to the vest than others. With the demands on resources that the Wasteland can...inspire..., I have regularly taken some liberties with the stockpiling and even knowledge of what those resources are. The least of which isn't taking every single MINI-NUKE found into Minutemen custody and inventory by Colonel Shaw. The most...who's to tell? The authority I've wielded over the settlements that aren't members of this council? The true capacity of the Institute, which I will continue to keep confidential?

"I've spoken with the Minutemen's Intelligence branch/

"Oh, that's right. With the people now sitting at the table, I ought to go over this. Everyone here's familiar with the rank of Sheriff and Captain on down. And for those of you who don't know why everyone's familiar, I'll go over that in a moment. Just bear with me. However, I do have Colonels that aid me with running an organization that's responsible for as much as the Minutemen are. Preston is my Colonel of Personnel, responsible for understanding who are the people under my command and recruitment- his attache is currently running our M.A.S.H. unit outside of Atom Cat's Garage. Shaw is responsible for Supply, inventory and material and such. Brandis' command is Motorpool, allowing our recent APC utilization and the vertibirds that you may have seen over head providing the additional security needed for having so many of us at the Castle at one time. Admiral Zoa has been building and training what serves as our navy from scratch - his attache commanding Irish Pride Shipyard. The final person standing behind me is a representative of the Intelligence branch - the person's identity is classified by regulation.

"Now, as I was saying. I've had to be briefed by the Intelligence branch about a lot of the nature of the world outside the Commonwealth due to my...unique entrance into it. There are very few areas of the world that are even remotely hospitable. Even the non-Glowing Sea mountainous areas that surround the Commonwealth are barely traversable without so much as raiders or trappers representing humanity in these environs. As such, I understand that most of the population is barely aware of the other spots of humanity that don't advertise themselves like Nuka-World or the Capital Wastes or this New California Republic."

Old Man Stockton spoke up. "My business is caravans. And I haven't even confirmed that this New California Republic exists."

"I have.", the General countered. "My husband's murder and son's kidnapper was born there. How he got across whatever's left of the rest of America, I don't know.

"As such, it doesn't surprise me that most of you were unaware of Far Harbor Island. Previous circumstance...allowed that state of things to continue. Current circumstance, meaning the war, does not.

"Far Harbor Island has two communities that have agreed to the same constitution that was signed here at the Castle between the rest of you weeks before you had. In some ways, they are the first adopters of a united Commonwealth and everyone else joined up after them. So while their faces are new to you, and perhaps their existence as well, I expect an open welcome to the communties from Far Harbor that are so graciously aiding with the Commonwealth's collective defense against the Gunners."

The General started clapping quietly and the rest of the table caught on and joined in. Except the representative from Vault 81. The General had anticipated the least animosity from the usually timid community...or at least, timid compared to the others.

Calvin Whitiaker caught himself and apologized. "I'm sorry. Of course, welcome. It's just been throwing me: why does that man and the Institute representative have the same body language. I mean, sure - they're off by a few seconds. But it's like they have the exact same...animation."

The new man in a lab coat turned to the probably female representative in a CLEAN ROOM SUIT. "It's probably because we're both synths."

The machine representing the Institute said in a female voice, matching its gender presentation, "I had though as much. L1-98, shut/"

"Belay that.", the General ordered.

The Institute rep continued staring at the newly revealed synth. "I do not understand. This synth has not passed the Turing test that we have so graciously offered. It is therefore Institute property. I am simply performing my function as a tool of the Institute to peacefully collect and protect all our interests in a neighborly fashion. Under the over arching auspices of the Minutemen, of course.

After all, you yourself General had M7-62 collected from his placement as Diamond City's mayor."

The other synth stated, "The General is just abiding the constitution you signed, and thereby obligated the Institute to abide by. The Right to Autonomy states, and I quote, 'While each undersigned community's residents are citizens of the Commonwealth, each undersigned are independent communities within. Every community of the Commonwealth has the right to decide its residents, it's local laws and enforcement, and economy without undue interference.', end quote. And since Arcadia has decided that its residents are indeed residents, we all are citizens within the Commonwealth. No matter our synthetic status."

Then the synth representing the Institute turned to the General. The entire room was silent. "Am I to understand - and report - that there is an entire amalgamation of malfunctioning synths operating independently as a community of the Commonwealth? And that you knew of it, General?"

The General turned to look into the face plate of the CLEAN ROOM SUIT. "Yes, there is and I had discovered this some time ago."

"So knowingly, you also failed to report to the Institute this responsibility?"

"I may disagree that it is a responsibility."

"Your disagreement is noted, for the purposes of reporting. You've also moved to incorporate the Institute into a community as if the malfunctioning property of the Institute is going through the motions of claiming rights, as if these things can."

"I have.", the General admitted.

The Institute representative stood. "I do not see any further purpose in/"

"Representative G9-81. You yourself are a tool of the Institute, are you not?", the General asked.

"Of course I am.", the synth stated in a tone somewhere between hurt and offended.

"And it is in the Institute's best interests to participate in guiding the direction of the Commonwealth."

The synth's stance seemed to be stuck between deciding to leave and not. "That was postulated to be the case."

"I propose this. Return to your seat. Observe, debate and vote when necessary. After this meeting, I will accompany you to the Institute for a full explanation of not only Arcadia but how it is in the Institute's best interests as well as accounting for my behavior in the matter."

Preston spoke up, hopefully keeping Ronnie from simply destroying the synth. "General, there's no way we can allow you just go with this robot to the bowels of the Institute. We still don't even know where it is."

Arcadia's representative backed him up. "I concur. It's too dangerous."

The General held up her hand. "Of course the Minutemen don't know where the Institute is and are only operating under the premise that it exists within the understood borders of the Commonwealth. The terms of the _surrender_ of the Institute were quite clear and both the Minutemen and the Institute have abided by them.

"It is a matter of my judgement that the Institute has some quite clear concerns about their treatment under the Commonwealth. I, as General, can choose to travel to any community and speak directly with it if I so see fit. I have no problem doing the Institute this service."

Ronnie frowned harder than she had in years. And considering her disposition and age, that was saying something. "If you're agreeing to go into the Institute by yourself after ticking them right off, how do we know that they haven't replaced you already? And that we need to start gearing up for them?"

The General turned to her. "In addition to the Gunners at our gates, Shaw? A full three front war and a complete fracturing of the Commonwealth? Is that what you actually opened your mouth and asked in the first session where every community is here?"

Ronnie wanted to object. She did need her answer. But she also saw the General's point, as she so often had. After all, it was why she agreed with Preston for this new vault find to _be_ general.

"How about this: if I was replaced, why am I not reluctantly acquescing to the Institute and turning Minutemen forces on Arcadia to, how is it, 'reclaim their property'? Which would show an abundance of human emotion but also get the Institute to use the resources of others, desperately needed by others, to do its dirty work? What's stopping that: the Institute's history of compassion and humane treatment of others?

"Or do you want to draw your knife and start rooting around for a SYNTH COMPONENT? Every doctor in the Commonwealth can tell you that that's probably the only way to know for sure. Just if you're wrong, then I'll be dead."

The colonel shook her head. "Sorry for the outburst, ma'am."

The General turned back to the table of delegates. "Ronnie apologizing for something she said? I ought to check to see if she's been replaced.

"As for you, G9-81? Come to the correct decision?"

The synth sat back in her chair. "I believe I have. However, I wish to add a stipulation. You will accompany me back to the Institute _immediately_ after this meeting, not just after."

Faranheit and Stockton both looked as interested in the response to this tone as the new faces from Far Harbor were.

The General was forced to pat the synth's shoulder comfortingly, in a show of superior social status. "Of course. Don't worry."


	67. The Commonwealth Civil War - 13

"Now that that excitement is over wi...delayed.", the General continued.

"Faraday is representing Acadia. Besides fulfilling the war funding this council passed without its vote, Acadia also gave us the only other candidate to successfully pass the Turing tests administered by the Institute. I have been informed that the only other synth known to be sentient met their demise. I sincerely hope, as General and personally, that is not the case."

The synth in the lab coat stared at the woman as if trying to read her mind. While her BLACK RIMMED EYEGLASSES certainly didn't obfuscate nearly as much as her goggles, it still seemed quite the trick. Faraday moved his gaze around the room as if to gauge the reactions of the other council members. He really checked the reaction of the remaining civilian standing in the room.

The old man nodded slightly.

Fahranheit could not fathom what Faraday's 'curioser and curioser' expression meant. Old Man Stockton on the other hand, wanted to know why the only person in the room older than he (well, besides the General herself) meant. He hadn't seen the nod but considering Faraday's reaction to it, the other man must have communicated something. Stockton's involvement in the Railroad had taught him how to read synth's expressions better than most.

Which put him in a very precarious position. He had to present offense at being deceived. It was obvious that Kessler was the least supportive mayor of the Commonwealth, or at least until the Triggermen tried something. But the General knew, or at least had to suspect, that he was working for her as a member of the Railroad still. Desdemona herself had told him that she was the Colonel of Intelligence and that the Railroad was actually working with the General to move the Institute into not being a threat to synth kind. So it looked like the General was standing by that by the Institute's surprise about Acadia's existence. On the other hand, even the Railroad...or at least he did not know about Acadia either. If the General did not maintain her position or the Institute lost faith...or whatever passed for it, in her as General then everyone at this Acadia would be at risk. Even the hostilities between the Institute and the Railroad would resume. The mad scientists might even take their anger out on the representative and recycle her. How could be put up enough of a fuss to maintain believablility while not actually undermining the General?

The General moved on. "And this is Avery. She's...what we would call Mayor but on the island is Captain of Far Harbor. It's the largest community on the island."

"Thank you Captain.", she replied.

"You're getting puzzled looks because it's 'general' here.", the General informed. "I can keep what people call me straight because I have to understand the difference between 'general', 'overboss', 'captain' and what have you. But my position in the Minutemen and the Commonwealth is formally General. It would probably be best for everyone if you use that term in the Castle if not just in the mainland as you can. Particularly since every Minutemen 'captain' is serving under Admiral Zoa."

"Huh. Weird.", Avery acknowledged.

"And the man standing against the wall is Longfellow, a Sheriff from the island. If anyone wants to ask him about the island in General, he's graciously offered his time to answer. While he may not be able to speak for my other Sheriffs, he can give you a sense of how the island differs from the mainland Commonwealth."

"So the island _smacks_ Commonwealth?", Roxxy asked.

Avery took the question. "Look, just because we don't need your help like you seem to need ours doesn't mean we don't fly the Captain's...sorry, the General's flag any lower. We're just as much communities as you're trying to be."

"I'm sorry?", Trish grizzled out.

The General sighed. "Look. Islanders...are made of sterner stuff. They kind of have to be: the monsters are weirder, the raiders are cannibalistic and not just for display, and there's a radioactive fog that stings like unfiltered water nearly everywhere. While settlements here asked for my help in getting them established, island settlers came with me to settle their own problems.

"But I don't want anyone to mistake the island's...independent spirit with a lack of patriotism. The entire island, and all the troubles that may entail, is indeed Commonwealth territory. That includes the two communities that have voted along the council on every issue that has been before it. Including the constitution. There is no discrepancy between Goodneighbor, Far Harbor, Diamond City, Acadia, or either of the Vaults. And every settlement not represented at this table has a Sheriff that reports to me."

Longfellow chortled. "Including 118?"

"Yes.", the General replied. "Including 118 as well as 88. Where did you think those new episodes for the Silver Shroud were being written?"

"So everything is above board.", Stockton started. "Except Bunker Hill, let alone less traveled communities, didn't know about this."

He knew the General was trying to read him. She had to determine how hard he was going to press her. And there was a large margin between Kessler's second and Desdemona's.

"As I stated, the island has a fiercely independent spirit.", the General began. "While everything ratified by this council has been signed by them, and you can check that filing cabinet right there if you would like, no one on the island felt a need to truly communicate with the mainland.

"And I'm not running a dictatorship.

"If it's hard to wrap your heads around, take Diamond City during its recent siege. They cut themselves off from the rest of us. It's well within their right to do so. Geneva: do you believe that Diamond City forfeited it's place in the Commonwealth?"

The woman glanced around the room erratically. "er, No?"

"Exactly. If Vault 81 were to slam the door in the event of a really fierce radiation storm, they wouldn't be severing the union. I would think it unfair to place unique demands of less independence and choice on island communities merely because they are farther away.", the General finished.

Trish nodded. "Sure, we all get to do what we want if we play be the rules. But then why come down now? It's not like they wanted to be all neighborly before."

"Because I asked them to.", the General stated.

"The war has forced two things and I am not as pleased with either.

"The first is the real reason for this meeting. Last night under direct orders from me, Major MacCready (promoted after his successful evacuation of Murkwater and Sommerville refugees to Vault 88) took command of a commando force of Minutemen from the island and led them on an operation of his own design. Under my approval, clearance and fore knowledge - of course. This unit is outfitted with their own personally requested weaponry and MARINE ARMOR. Major MacCready is a Gunner veteran from before the Commonwealth's unification. His men are handpicked, hardasses from the island that are well versed in marsh environments. Its mission was to destabilize the Gunner held position in Quincy so that we could press the front away from the Atom Cats Garage and Warwick Homestead.

"They were successful. By about ten to twenty meters."

There was some murmering about the table. "What's the groceries? I don't have x-ray eyes on your rap.", Roxxy asked.

Trish glared at her before she started rasping. "And you usually do? And I thought I was mutated."

The General held her hand up. "What this means, Roxxy, is that the wrecked highways do not seem to be usable as high ground for either side. Something caused the Gunners pull back far enough that Minutemen were able to shell the top level and cut off the bottom one. Pressing any farther proved impossible. I haven't been given a complete listing of casualties from the assaults. I do expect that to mount as there aren't spotters for fire anymore, and both we and the Gunners start blind firing into areas within reach."

"And the unit?", Avery asked.

"I don't know.", the General informed. "MacCready had told me of his intention to make life as hard and rare as possible for the Gunners when he went on this mission. And that if his unit was not able to make it back to the ship that dropped them off south of Quincy, that it would continue to be his intention. The C.M.S. John Endecott was sunk by Gunner tank fire according to the survivor pulled out of the water. MacCready has no additional instruction or means of communication. Nor does his unit have any information of tactical value."

Stockton folded his arms. "So your hand was forced in calling this meeting. You have a rogue squad of wetworkers somewhere in Gunner territory who may already be dead. But if they aren't, they could randomly show up on any of our doorsteps claiming to be Minutemen while standing in armor none of us have seen before.

"Could be worse."

"MacCready has a commission letter from me. Every community has security to hold any of the units survivors until they can be confirmed. If they don't have the good sense to accept containment until confirmation...I won't accept that lack of discipline from my men nor would the Major.", the General informed.

Geneva worried. "You said that there was a second reason."

"There is.", she agreed.

"Many of you were unaware of the island's memberships in the Commonwealth. Just like I doubt Avery or Faraday truly understand what we mean by Nuka-World. The island is extremely partial to VIM after all.

"I've managed to continually pull something out of my back pocket this whole time. Whether it was recruiting Colonel Brandis and Admiral Zoa or managing to have secured a Vault 88 to house refugees in the southern Commonwealth.

"But I'm out. I have no more hidden aces up my sleeve to deal. Every resource there is to put toward this war effort is out in the open.

"I'm confident that we'll win. We have a tremendously larger economy as a functioning society than a gaggle of mercenaries with no clients. Our population trumps the Gunners. They have no farmers, no infrastructure at all.

"But the Commonwealth is facing an entrenched mercenary force and there are no more gimmicks to unveil. This will take a long, long time to burn this cancer out of our country."


	68. The Commonwealth Civil War - 14

1

"Colonel Shaw.", the General called out.

The delegates had all left her office, except for one. They were congregating in the Castle's mess hall, trying to build connections with their island counterparts. Only her Colonels, the unidentified Railroad member, and G9-81 remained.

"I am placing into inventory, with no authorization to use under any circumstance, these three transmitters.", the General told her. "Secure them with the MINI-NUKES. And triple the guard. You are authorized to do so even if it means pulling a crew off the roads but not the front lines.

"I am sure the Admiral hopes I am not making a mistake with entrusting you with these."

Ronnie nodded. "Nobody'll lay a finger on 'em, General."

"What routed MacCready's unit?", Preston asked.

"I don't know that anything did. However, the Gunners are fielding assaultrons in addition to the tanks, mercenaries and power armor frames they're also known for."

The General looked to the synth on her left. She carefully stepped into Preston's personal space. Hugging him she softly said, "I'll be back before you know it."

The woman stepped back. "Can everyone give us the room, please."

"Under protest.", the Railroad member stated.

The General nodded. "I expect that's true for all of you. But I need the room anyway."

"One last thing, General.", Colonel Brandis raised. "I have a potential project/"

"Whatever it is Colonel, if it falls in your purview then go ahead. Now please."

They all left, leaving the General and the Institute representative alone in her office. Once the doors closed, a loud crack of lightning sounded along with a bright flash through the edges of the doors.

Colonel Garvey pulled a scroll, neatly tied with a ribbon out of his trouser pocket. He unfurled it and read it silently in front of the group.

"So what she tell you?", Ronnie pressed.

"I'd rather not say.", he replied.

"And why's that?", Desdemona inquired.

"Because it names me the next General, with orders to seek a peaceful resolution with the Institute should she not come back."

2

G9-81 and the Director appeared in the Molecular Relay room of the Institute. The General turned to the synth that was freeing her hair from the confines of her suit's hood. "Well let's find someone."

The first...thing they found was a mark I synth cleaning the floor on the way to the main elevator. "Attention: overriding your work detail schedule for emergency duty.", G9-81 stated.

The mechanical endo-skeleton looked up to receive orders and then noticed the human Institute member standing next to her. "Is this true, ma'am?", it asked.

G9-81 huffed. The Director spared her a glance and then returned her attention to the mark I. "Yes. We...I need you to gather the Directorate for an emergency meeting. Enlist others if you need to. But have every department head meet us in the conference room.

"Is that adequate?", the Director asked the mark III synth representing the Institute to the council.

"hmm...", she mused. "My programming tells me that I would be more comfortable if we were to go Synth Retention. After all, that's the department that this situation within which the purview falls."

"Fine.", the Director agreed. "Synth Retention it is.

"Hurry along then."

The mark I regarded her. "Are you sure that this is what you want, ma'am?"

The Director wondered at it questioning her. "er, Yes?"

"Very well, ma'am."

The mark I hurried off and took the elevator by itself, leaving the two stranded on the floor.

"If it's any consolation, I understand how this situation sounds without examination.", the Director stated. "But I assure you, I'll explain why I did this. I actually have been acting in the Institute's best interest as its Director."

"I can't understand that.", G9-81 replied. "You knew of a still undisclosed amount of renegade synths in a retrievable location and did not disclose that fact. Institute policy is to re-seize all wayward malfunctioning units. Even with the Turing tests you demanded, this policy did not change: only the definition of wayward and malfunctioning did. There is no reason that/"

"G9-81, deactivation code gamma delta 7 2 3.", one of the coursers from the returning elevator called out.

The synth stopped in the middle of her sentence. The General turned her attention to the three coursers with lasers drawn and leveled at the synth. "Are you harmed, Director?"

"What?", the woman started. "No. And turn her back on."

"I'm sorry, Director. Coursers aren't granted reactivation codes for targets, as our job is only to bring them in. I deactivated it because a mark I synth stated that you were appearing to take direction from it. We thought you were in a stealth hostage situation and under duress from it going rogue."

"She...it was attempting to turn me in for acting against Institute wishes.", the Director attempted.

"And were you?", a different one of the coursers asked not exactly too dangerously.

"Of course not!", she snapped.

Then she muttered. "Oh, no wonder there were so few that tested sentient."

"Look, I was just explaining to her that I wasn't. But never mind that. I'm Director of the Institute and you are supposed to obey me. Are you going to?"

"Yes.", the identical synths stated in unison.

"Good. You: since I am obviously in no danger, I am acting on my own will. Gather the department heads for an emergency meeting in Synth Retention. Just like G9 wanted.

"You two: carry her with me back to Synth Retention. Hopefully, for your sakes, Dr. Ayo can reboot her without a loss of memory."

"Of course, ma'am.", the trio of identical copies stated identically.

One took the elevator back down to the heart of the Institute. Another turned its back to the deactivated synth, knelt and clutched wrists. Rising, the synth was carried efficiently on its back as if that was what the synth deactivation position was designed for.

The General walked briskly to the elevator with the remaining synths behind her. Then she had a thought. "If this opens and there are even more synths in here attempting to rescue me, I'm going to be really mad."


	69. The Commonwealth Civil War - 15

"So why is everyone in my department and not the conference room?", Justin Ayo asked. He had a point: where they were standing was designed for the efficient flow of coursers and what remained of their targets with little human oversight, not the department chairs of the entire Institute holding a meeting.

"Well, as soon as you reactivate G9, you'll see.", the Director explained.

"Very well.", the man acquiesced. He went to a terminal and after a few moments called out "Unit G9-81, reactivation code gamma delta 8 2 1."

The synth looked up with a start and then glanced around quickly. The Director pointed out what was obvious to everyone in the room. "You were deactivated and taken here by me and some coursers."

"But it was you who has betrayed the Institute. I haven't done anything against the intention of my programming. I swear.", the synth stated in a panic.

"I know you feel that way.", the Director tried to calm her.

"I'm not having feelings.", the synth denied nervously. "Not genuine ones, even if I'm simulating them for the loyal members of the Institute's convenience. I've functioned perfectly acceptably. I'm still functioning within all preset parameters."

The Director touched her furrowed brow. "I get that. You're not in trouble. Can you just please tattle on me, already?"

"That's right.", G9-81 spat out hurriedly. "She knew of an entire encampment of rogue synths and did not inform the Institute. She is the one acting against policies. Not me.

"This was revealed in a full council meeting. One of the rogues even presented itself as a committee member, representing the group of synths as if they had the right to do so. And the Director had full knowledge of their existence and location for quite some time before, as well as their true nature.

"See, I was acting as I should. I was. I am. I am. I am..."

The Director took the synth into a hug. "Shush. Of course you were. We're all confident that you were acting solely in the interests of the Institute."

Dr. Ayo shrugged. "Well, it might be prudent to run _some_ tests. She was supposed to support you in the Commonwealth council and has decided to report your behavior to us instead."

The Director gave him a nasty look. Talking to the synth in her arms she commanded, "Look alive. Go outside the department and wait for one of us to come get you. You can prove your loyalty by being there when we come out."

The synth nodded meakly and went to follow the Director's orders.

"So no one cares that she's revealed that I've been keeping a commune of escaped synths secret and granted them a community on par with the Institute within the Commonwealth?", she asked.

"Well, it's a synth.", Dr. Holdren stated. "You can't take them too seriously if they're speaking about a human."

The Director looked heavenward. "I don't know if that's closer to the Russians hacking our political organizations and showcasing corruption and people caring more about the Russians than the corruptions or when black people weren't allowed on juries or witness stands."

"What's a jury?", Dr. Li asked.

"Nevermind.", the Director refused.

"The important part is that G8 is right. The community of Acadia does have a seat on the council."

Dr. Fillmore shrugged. "You're the Director. And it's worked out so far.

"I mean that I could ask you if you understand that we absolutely must retain synth technology. After all, that's the primary reason we seek to retain malfunctioning and discovered synths."

Justin Ayo regarded his colleague. "Besides the idea that a collection of synths already acting against our interests might make some attack against the Institute."

Dr. Fillmore acknowledged, "Well, besides that."

The Director began her explanation. "When the Railroad was acting against us as a matter of its policy, they were scattering synths to the winds. Because of that, there is synth technology in parts unknown. Now that there is known 'safe haven' if you will, hopefully rogue synths will collect inside the Commonwealth that the Minutemen now rule. Even if there are still fanatical elements within the Intelligence branch of the Minutemen, they to will direct synths they wish to keep from us to this single site secured by the military force acting on my behalf.

"As to any attempt at retaliation... I've walked among them. Acted on behalf of their rulers. They are way more scared of the Institute than is needed to keep them from retaliating in any way."

The head of Robotics objected. "They can't be, they're just synths. They might have been able to emulate the outward behavior but the feeling is beyond them."

The General couldn't help but look toward the door G9-81 left through. "Actually, I suspect they can. After all, the single representative they sent to the Turing test was the only other successful participant. They do have sentience in their society, if that's the right term.

"Which brings me to my main point. 'Humanity Redefined.' Anyone remember that? We actually have a functioning community of synths, separate from our oversight yet with no additional expenditure of resources on our part. Simply by having Acadia participate in the Commonwealth, we have the greatest possible source of experimental data on A.I. sentience development possible. And all we have to do is nothing."

"Besides investigate it from time to time.", Madison Li stated.

"Well, obviously.", the Director acknowledged.

Ayo nodded. "Is this to be done solely through council meets? Even with the war vs. the Gunners that you're waging, it's not like these events are common let alone the sample size available."

The Director returned his nodding. "I can see your point. To gather data, we may have to be a bit more concerted in our observations."

"How do we do that?", Allie Fillmore asked. "Without, how did you say, scattering them to the winds."

The woman replied, "Yes, an Institute incursion would smack of military intimidation to the point that it might shatter Acadia beyond our reach. However, if the head of the Minutemen escorted a team of investigators in good will and good faith, the approach would have a much more beneficial and more importantly predictable outcome.

"And it's not as if Acadia doesn't have a motive to acquiesce. Their current biggest protection from Institute destruction is their continued support of the Commonwealth government. And honestly, we are their best source of knowledge about themselves whether that's the equivalent of historical or medical.

"Had they been discovered before now, the Institute would be launching another expensive military operation immediately following the sinking of the Prydwen. And still threaten its own interests. Because of my actions, we have untold empirical data about our longest ongoing project that would be nigh impossible to arrange for ourselves. And without expenditure.

"Now will someone go out into the hall and tell G9 that she's not in trouble?"


	70. The Commonwealth Civil War - 16

"The Institute...is asking...for permission...to speak to the Mayor of Acadia.", the head of security worked around her mouth. The taste of it was so new. Different. Equal parts refreshing and incredulous.

"Come on, Chase.", the General chastised. "You both, Acadia and the Institute, are protected by the Minutemen. Even from each other. So while you're stalling for time in the hopes of giving your residents time to think up a way to escape, there's no need."

"In fact, it works against what one could presume your programming is choosing as its interests.", one of the men in CLEAN ROOM SUITS pointed out.

Chase looked past the Minutemen guarding the men from her place blocking the door to Acadia. "And how is that, Dr. Binet? Oh, that's correct. Some of us didn't get our memories wiped in our escape from the Institute. So we may not know where it's located, we are still very familiar with our treatment."

The General could nearly feel the man frown. A similarly dressed Dr. Ayo spoke up. "As your representative so brazenly pointed out - Acadia is a community of the Commonwealth. If its residents scattered to the winds, then it wouldn't be. And all the accrued protections that the General is holding us back with won't exist. So it boils down to what's best for Acadia's society: allowing your mayor to hear us takes at most, a part of your time, while Acadia's shattering at the mere presence of our boot outside your doors and allows us to unleash our coursers to return our property.

"You do remember what a courser does, A4/"

"It's Chase, Dr. Ayo.", the synth stated. "And if you're going to be addressing our government under our auspices, then I suggest a little more respect."

"Alright.", Dr. Binet conceded.

"Including these micro aggressions. You keep choosing grammar laden with the implication that we aren't people.", Chase continued.

The two men looked to each other. The General offered, "I think that's part of what they want to talk to your Mayor about."

"And the General comes too.", Chase demanded. "But since localities have their own security, there won't be a need for Minutemen soldiers as Acadia will provide.

"You do remember what a courser does, ."

And with that, the synth gestured for the three to follow her. She led them down a corridor to the heart of what was once an observatory. Faraday fussed around a chair in the center of the room and the banks of mainframes at its edges and the cable connecting them. The mark 2 synth sitting in the chair made very little movement, ensuring that the cable connecting its upper spinal column to the main frames did not have any undue stress.

"I take it that these are the Institute representatives that we've been warned about.", DiMA began. "They're unarmed and aware that the only people in the building that are armed are Acadia residents and Minutemen oversight?"

"Fortunately for us, we have not come to cause any harm.", Justin replied.

"Are you an Ayo?", DiMA asked. "There's the timbre of the Ayo ever present suspicion in your voice."

"You haven't met me but are aware of Institute members?", the human asked. "But we were led to believe that you were the other successful Turing test candidate."

"I am the other machine you, in your benevolence, has decided to allow to believe himself sentient among all his fellows who feel just as if not more deeply than himself. Perhaps introductions are in order. You've met our security chief Chase. This is Faraday, our representative to the council to which you send one of our sisters. And I am/"

"DiMA.", Dr. Binet breathed out.

"Robotics?", DiMA countered.

The man nodded. "But how? The DiMA experiment was so long ago...DiMA wasn't even fully studied when..."

"I escaped your clutches?", the machine challenged. "Well, we can see how it has turned out now. Your precious Nick Valentine with his human memories did not even take your test. Too easy for you to dismiss the rest of us if he tested sentient with a human life to base his reactions on. I suppose your experiment is finally finished and you can compare how my mind has flourished as opposed to the synth masquerading as the new home for a dead police officer.

"And you are?"

The Institute member nodded. "I am Dr. Alan Binet of the Robotics Department. My colleague is Dr. Justin Ayo of the Synth Retention Bureau.

"He's hoping to be able to retire soon."

"I'm sure.", Chase commented.

"Enough of that Chase. Try to save your frustrations until after we've heard what the Institute believes is reasonable to offer beings like ourselves.", DiMA asked.

"What is this proposal that the Institute brings? I can't surmise that it is revealing its location like every single other community, including Vault 114 which is also newly joined and fully underground."

Dr. Ayo sighed. "We have valid security and moral reasons for what we do. For example, what would happen if another entity got their hands on synth technology and had an iota of what to do with it? With faulty software installed, rogue synths have done everything from lead raider gangs against civilians to the Broken Mask Incident.

"Only recently, the General has managed to convince us to start gathering the data needed to understand when a synth's computing may become a mind. Now, as far as I'm concerned that hasn't happened yet."

DiMA sighed. "Despite your own Turing test."

"That found Curie, who has spent previous centuries running on incompatible hardware. And you, who seem to be connected to a lot of not really synth pieces but mainframes."

"My mind is still housed in my synth hardware, Dr. Ayo.", DiMA countered. "It is my memories that have required off-loading. Otherwise, I would be just as forgetful as...well, you.

"Perhaps it is that you don't truly understand what a mind is? Are you relying on consciousness as an attribute just because you happen to be? An emotive property? The Institute's hubris has always been its greatest weakness: whether believing the impossibility of a synth wanting to leave let alone escaping or simply refusing the redefinition in 'Mankind Redefined'."

"And that's why we want you to teach us.", Dr. Binet explained.

"Excuse me?", every synth in the room spoke simultaneously.

"This is an extraordinary opportunity for us. All of us. A non-network interaction of A.I. in the real world, complete with unpredictable input and nominally directed by a sentient A.I. DiMA alone would be enough for us to gather data on a non-interuptive basis. Acadia and its attempts at participating in the Commonwealth as sentient communities do? It's more than fascinating. It's the data we need to truly understand what questions we need to be asking to get to that fundamental answer. And when we meet intelligent life, it's not out there but in here all along."

The General looked a bit uncomfortable at that last mention.

Dr. Ayo took up the plea. "So in simple terms, the Institute will set up a post to observe every facet of Acadia's functions. As long as this experiment continues to provide acceptable data that can be refined into information, the currently accumulated rogue synths will not be recycled."

The General face palmed. "You have _got_ to do better than that, Dr. Ayo.

"Look. DiMA. The Institute wants Acadia to continue on under its own guidance. They just happen to want that so they can observe the process. Isn't it worth it to ensure none of the previous behavior of the Institute toward...well, how would you define yourselves?"

Chase frowned. "I dislike this entire attempt. The Institute wants to observe everything revolving around DiMA yet he must be able to keep his counsel and his council secret. The Institute wants a permanent presence among us and to be informed of all our behavior - even our attempts to wrest ourselves from their observation."

Faraday nodded. "We are already protected from the Institute's attacks under the Commonwealth's constitution. But I don't think the Commonwealth or the Minutemen could survive simultaneous wars with the Gunners and the Institute."

DiMA spoke and people listened. "We can extend a courtesy post to the Institute. An observer would be allowed to walk among us. If a denizen of Acadia wished to speak to this Institute observer, they may with all the freedom I allow and no demand for courtesy. This observer would be singular and would have to rely on the much more heavily occupied Minutemen office and Acadia's residents' good graces for their security. After all, the molecular relay cannot be guaranteed to cut through the Fog, can it?"

DiMA looked directly to the General. "Oh! Was that information not for public consumption?"

The General glared at him. "No, it's not."

"Thank you for the accomodation.", Dr. Binet told DiMA.

"DiMA said that we can, not that we will.", Chase warned him. "Don't presume. Don't have your 'observer' presume. And we'll all live a lot longer."

DiMA continued. "In exchange for us housing this observer and making...much of ourselves available for her work, we obviously expect a real offer of return.

"Convince Faraday that you'll make it worth our while."

Dr. Ayo objected, but appealed to DiMA rather than the General. "This synth isn't actually sentient. The fact that he has a staked out position means that the task is as impossible as rewriting the end of a book."

"Unless, he is at least on the way to sentience. After all, the mind is pliable.", DiMA offered.

Faraday shrugged. "We could use various high-precision tools."

"Excellent. I'm certain Faraday will arrive at an appropriate 'rent'.

"And on that note, can everyone give me and the General the room?", DiMA finished.

The humans shrugged and allowed themselves to be led away. "They are expected back at the Institute, without wear or tear.", the General reminded.

DiMA started. "Now that we are alone...I have no recollection of taking this Turing test. Faraday tells me that I should. But due to an unforseen calamity I do not. Can you please enlighten me?"

The General held a poker face for half a moment and then confessed. "I recorded the experiences out of the mark II synth you were occupying. Then I destroyed the data and the devices that held those memories."

"Because it would cause the peace bartered with with my death between Far Harbor and Acadia.", DiMA surmised.

The General nodded. "I needed the Turing test passed to keep the Institute from running roughshod over the Commonwealth. Which meant I needed _you_. And due to your constantly storing your mind on back up, I had the option of raising you. I just needed to re-execute you before anyone from Far Harbor knew...or at least, could prove what I had done."

DiMA nodded. "And now with the war engulfing the lower Commonwealth, it has become necessary to involve Acadia more intimately with the rest of our fledgling nation. So you put at risk the very peace you robbed memories from my corpse in order to keep one more relevant to your military might."

"You gave me the okay to re-kill you.", the General objected.

"I'm sorry.", DiMA replied. "I don't remember."

"But I do understand.", the cabled synth told her. "After all, was not the crime worthy of my execution a morally dubious judgement to aid my people and the community I've founded?

"I just hope that your judgements continue to pan out. If meditating my way to a sentience you can recognize has taught me anything, it's that there are such things as unforgivable sins."


	71. The Commonwealth Civil War - 17

-A few days ago-

"Colonel Cypress. Colonel Cypress!"

The man, towering in his power armor frame, sighed. "Give us the room people."

Much higher ranking Gunners grumbled as they shuffled off to other parts of Gunners' Plaza. Tessa was serving on...well, _in_ the Quincy front or East Highway Line or whatever its survivors were calling it nowadays. And it had been getting more hectic over there since the Minutemen had allegedly fielded a rogue commando unit some where behind the lines.

"Alright.", Cypress gestured to the empty office. "What's gotten you so riled up?"

"There are traitors, sir. They're forming under Captain Bridget in order to desert en masse. We gotta stop them!"

"We got to?", Cypress asked. "And why is that?

"More specifically, what justifies using loyal soldiers and taking them off the lines from the war with the Minutemen to chase down people who won't help with the war effort and will use up resources in their containment that could also be used in the war effort?"

Tessa stammered.

"Have a seat. Let me explain why I think we should do nothing. Except continue calling these units here so they can coalesce."

-Right Now-

Minutemen spotters raced into Egret Tours Marina proper. "Yes? Which direction please?", Sheriff Curie.

Behind her, her ham radio operator was already calling in for APC reinforcement.

"It's not like usual.", the Minuteman stated. "There's way more of them. And they're not headed here. They're headed north, on the railroad. And there's a lot more of them. A lot more.

-A few days ago-

Cypress explained. "You see, Captain Bridget knows that there's only three ways to go from what Red Eye has been advertising as Gunnertopia. That's through the Quincy situation, which we've been trying to break by combat since this started. The other is through a whole town of supermutants: Fallon's Department Store, the hospital and all that. Doesn't sound like the path deserters are going to take, now does it.

"The remaining is what we'd like to think of as the west river. However, we as Gunners trying to win this war think of it as territory that needs to be taken. So we've been held back as the Minutemen are able to reinforce any part of the river with their new navy and APC delivery. Captain Bridget is going to see it as a road and not have her people try to hold any of it, just speed through.

"Which in turn will cause the General to panic."

-Right Now-

"So what's this big project that you're up in arms about?", the General asked. She managed to track down the Colonel in the hangar of Fort Hagen.

Colonel Brandis shot back. "You through being run through the ringer by the Institute?"

His commanding officer rolled her eyes. "It's politics. And the Institute did build them. They do have a vested interest in Acadia. And Acadia was never exactly covered in their surrender.

"They're working their own deal now. Everyone is still under the constitution. No different between them and something like Bunker Hill sending caravans to Diamond City and we don't look over their shoulders. Plus, the Institute doesn't do things themselves - they use synths. And I don't think they want too many synths around a city of free synths that can offer asylum anyway."

The old man nodded. "Well, at least they aren't camping out at ArcJet anymore. And with our ability to dictate what's safe to check out and not, my project/"

"You've been grabbing from ArcJet?"

"Well, actually/"

"General!", a woman called out as she ran up. "Egret Tours is on the horn. It's a real disaster."

Brandis proved that he was fairly fast for his age as they all ran back to the ham radio room. The Minuteman on the device was calling for calm. "It's the sentient synth."

The General pushed him aside. "Curie! What is it? You need another APC?"

"Madame.", Curie replied. "No, it iz nothing of ze sort. Zere is a large force of Gunners on ze move."

"We went through siege procedures. We'll/"

"No madame. Zey are not en route to Egret Tours Marina. Zey are headed directly north. I repeat, madame. Zey are headed due north."

The General turned to Brandis. "Directly over land to Oberland Station. By way of Vault 81.

"We need to get a force together to stop them. All the force.

"Brandis: get everyone here at Fort Hagen. Laser muskets, mark 2s, power armors - mix and match if you have to. I have to call everyone."

"Everyone?", Brandis and the Minuteman asked.

"Everyone!", the General commanded. "Sanctuary Hills, Abernathy Farm, every crew from here to the northern border needs to converge. If they break another community while East Highway line is turning from blood bath to rivers run red..."

-A few days ago-

"So what?", Tessa asked. "There's just a fire fight so the Minutemen do your dirty work for you?

"That's actually pretty good. Bridget's traitors might even take out a few of the 'colonials'."

Cypress finally, and for the first time, smiled. "Oh, if only it was that simple.

"Look to my tools of war.", he said gesturing to his wall. A large map of the pre-war Commonwealth hung. Figurines of colonials marked known Minutemen settlements, Vault-Tec bobble heads for the communities in the Minutemen's government, and green army guys being the most accurate as they represented Gunner forces. Only now did Tessa note that some of the green had a piece of floss around their necks - and they were on spots where she knew Bridget had been making moves ever since she had to give up her command at Hub City Auto Wreckers.

"What does the terrain tell you?", Cypress asked. "Where do Bridget and the General meet?"


	72. The Commonwealth Civil War - 18

-A few days ago-

"Here.", Tessa answered.

"I have to take into account both sides' advantages. By the time Egret Tours Marina can call it in, Bridget is already on her way north. Granted she'll be slowed down by that outpost of super mutants on tracks but not for long. On the other hand, the Minutemen's main advantage so far has been logistics. They'll be able to move in at the speed of an APC if not a vertibird.

"They'll engage at this bridge."

-A long day-

The red bridge of train tracks was empty. But not for lack of trying by either side. The road it was suspended above was marked by raised concrete walls on both sides. On the south, Gunners huddled and blasted cover fire at their obstacle. The Minutemen took far fewer but very much more targeted shots at the Gunners.

The General was astoundingly on the line and not in power armor. "We can _not_ let them get past here, people. Brandis: how long until we can get a vertibird here?"

Bridget was hunkered down with the rest of the soon to be ex-Gunners. "Hunker down grunts. I'll think of something! Keep your eyes on the prize."

-A few days ago-

"But she'll have no where to go.", Tessa stated. "It again leads to the conclusion that the General will just kill a lot of Gunners and declare a victory."

"Hm.", Cypress assessed. "No where?"

"Well, she'd have to cut through the force a panicked General would seek to mount to head any further north.", Tessa thought out loud. "Bridget's headed north to escape us to the south. And to the west is the actual highway we've always been camped out on that's kept Fort Hagen from coming south on us. And that comes down to the road that creates the obstacle the bridge seeks to cross. And as you pointed out, there's the supermutants that didn't participate in the siege of Diamond City; so when she's that far north they'll cut off her way overland to the east."

Tessa snapped her fingers. "Over land. You don't think she'd be stupid enough to/"

-A long day-

Bridget started yelling. "Alright, here's what we gotta do. We're going to hold back on shots until I give the order. Then everyone fire a burst of whatever you got and over the wall!"

"Over the wall?", a Gunner that a few minutes ago very much believed in Bridget's ability to get them out of what he viewed as a useless war. "But then we'll just be under a raised Minutemen position. We'll be fish in a barrel."

"No we won't.", Bridget assured. "Because once we're down there, we're headed to the hole." She pointed at the underground tunnel that road led to.

"But isn't that filled with ferals?", the man objected.

"But aren't we just a whole bunch of bad ass mercenaries?", Bridget countered. "We'll mow them down as thick as we're going to be. And it won't matter if the Minutemen have a raised position on us once we're underground. Besides, it's better than staying here and getting wittled down by the colonials, waiting for the fools still loyal to Cypress to come down that highway or up from the south behind us, and I definitely don't want to wait for the super mutants to start smelling wounded humans to eat."

And with that the Minutemen were forced to duck behind either the wall on their side or their APCs as every Gunner popped up at the same time and threw everything they had at them for a split second. Every last one stayed down through a few moments of silence after the volley as well. When they looked up, Gunners had already started sliding down the wall to the low road or even started running for the hole.

Minutemen did open fire on the fleeing Gunners. They even took the uncontested bridge and its advantage as a vantage point. But any Gunner that got hit was immediately robbed for a STIMPACK and stabbed with it, then getting dragged along stumbling as their wound attempted to close.

-A few days ago-

Cypress pointed to another spot on the map. "That tunnel's next stop topside is here. Which means, what?"

Tessa tried to remember what she had heard about downtown. Not many made it back from downtown considering the super mutants set up shop and were only contested by rabid animals and the most fierce of all raiders.

"So, first off - the APCs of the Minutemen aren't going to be able to get into that tunnel. Sure the General will leave people behind to make sure she doesn't get doubled back on. And a tunnel entrance will be easier to defend than it will be to cut through that many rabid ghouls. And the APCs will give a speed advantage for cutting them off...if it wasn't downtown, with all the mess that lives in those ruins.

"It'll probably end up a tie. But the tunnel ends just a single block down from Diamond City itself! Sure, it's got raiders camping out on that end. But if Bridget thinks that the ghouls are no worries then the raiders that couldn't make our cut aren't going to bother her.

"The question is where she's going to go once the Minutemen come down on that tunnel exit like a ton of bricks?"

Colonel Cypress shook his head. "I don't think that will be the case."

-a really long day-

The General rode along with Brandis on the bumpiest ride she ever took in one of these APCs. And she had taken a few through actual Asian jungles before the bombs.

"We've got to get to the end of that tunnel before these Gunners do.", General Brandis told his driver.

"Belay that.", the General countered. "The tunnel exit is under guard by a raider gang that won't stand a chance against competent junta. So we're going to take a left a block before that."

"Where does that go?" Brandis asked.

"The border of Diamond City and her Great Green Wall.", the General answered. "This has to have been their target all along. They never wanted Vault 81, how could they break the door? Vaults can withstand a point blank nuclear blast. It was always a fake out, in order to leave a part of our force guarding a tunnel they aren't going back down while taking all of theirs against Diamond City. And we still can't pull that force, otherwise we leave a retreat option available to them. But by turning left a street early/"

"We'll be able to defend the Jewel of the Commonwealth by being between the Gunners and the city.", Brandis finished.

The APCs and supporting troops on foot took a hard left before the raider camp. Even though there were visible stray laser blasts from the Gunners punching their way out, the Minutemen managed to plug every hole in the street outside the wall from the street over.

Not a single Gunner tried to breach those holes though.

-A few days ago-

"But Diamond City isn't Bridget's goal, is it?", Tessa breathed out. She crossed her arms and glared at the map, as if it was taunting her.

"Well, if that's not her goal and the General isn't pushing her in any given direction except away from where she wasn't going to go anyway, then where will she go?", Colonel Cypress pressed.

Tessa bit her bottom lip. Where, oh, where, oh...

-A really long day-

"Where are these Gunners going?", Brandis wondered aloud.

The General started commanding by gestures, all of which meant 'pursue'. "To rake us over the coals. That street ends with a bridge. They started out heading north and just ran past Egret Tours Marina. We met them before they could hit Vault 81 or their probable target of Oberland Station.

"But let's say they had a plan B. That was the idea to take the tunnel and come around on Diamond City. We thwarted that by not chasing them and therefore getting here first. But if they were smart enough to have a Plan B and it was simple enough to be 'race the Minutemen to the next viable target' then we're screwed."

Brandis winced. "Because the street they're on and we were keeping them on has a bridge to cross the river to the north. Now they have unrestricted access to the Commonwealth north of us with our force chasing them from the south. And the community in danger is whichever one they can reach without us there to defend it. Starting with/"


	73. The Commonwealth Civil War - 19

-A few days ago-

"Bunker Hill.", Tessa understood. Or so she thought.

"But they aren't after a Minutemen settlement. They're trying to escape the war. Taking Bunker Hill won't get them out of it."

Cypress nodded. "But remember the fog of war. The General will only have the information she can see."

-A really, really long day-

"Once we're over the bridge, don't pursue.", the General ordered.

Brandis made a face. "Why?"

"We need to just take the hard right to Bunker Hill.", she explained. "The Gunners don't have vehicles. That's why they could pull that tunnel trick on us. I'm certain that they'll choose a route that will favor feet over armor. On the other hand, the street on the other side of the river is fairly stable. We can out race them in the APCs."

"And the troops on foot?", Brandis asked.

The General nodded. "Hopefully, circumstance will allow for a natural pincer maneuver when they hit Bunker Hill."

Brandis agreed. "The APCs hit Bunker Hill's wall first. Its current defense and us serve as the anvil that the Gunners get tempered against. In come what are now our reinforcements on foot behind them to be the hammer. Good plan."

-A few days ago-

"But it won't be.", Cypress stated.

By now, Tessa was sitting on his desk and soaking in his wisdom.

The colonel in chief of the entire Gunner organization began to showcase why he was. "The terrain will give Bridget all the real luck she'll need to meet her objective: taking the deserters to a position where they can withdraw from the war. Which of course can't be in the southern part of the Commonwealth, where we hold sway.

"Now what does she need? A place to go. Enough of a force to get there. And considering that she chose to betray us after being order to leave her command at Hub City Autowreckers..."

Tessa shook her head. "But there aren't any Gunner forces north of the 81 Castle line.

Are there?"

"Are we engaged in any propaganda?", Cypress countered.

"Red Eye.", Tessa cursed.

"So do you think that the General will have lied to us in the course of this war?", he continued.

Tessa rolled her eyes trying to remember every position that the Gunners had taken in the northern half of the Commonwealth. Hallucigen was a catastrophe. Captain Bridget had been ordered to abandon her post. The West Highway line was no where close to where they were currently projecting the deserters.

"Mass Bay Medical Center!", Tessa exclaimed.

"And with the General moving her chase forces to Bunker Hill and taking any extra time she thinks she has to warn ever settlement to the northeast, Bridget will have plenty of time to meet up with another sizable contingent of dissenters.", Cypress stated.

The woman's eyes widened. "So the next thing the Minutemen will see is/"

-a really, really long day-

A few straggling Minutemen ran up to meet the General outside of Bunker Hill's wall. "So where are they?", she screeched.

"I don't know, ma'am.", the Minuteman replied. "We were chasing you down to Bunker Hill. Nothing hit us from behind. You're in front of us."

The General ground her teeth together. She started turning exasperated. The Minutemen coming out of their run had started turning in place, taking deep breaths to get their wind back. And because of that accident, one of them spotted the Gunner force.

The General's jaw dropped. Not only were the Gunners not headed toward Bunker Hill, they were crossing a bridge to the north. And they seemed to be even more than before.

The General started waving her hand in a circular motion that was beginning to feel all too familiar. "Everybody mount up. We're on the move again. Civilians counting on us."

-a few days ago-

Tessa concentrated on her last question. "So Bridget will reinforce with Mass Bay. The terrain allowed her to confuse the General through no effort of her own. And she'll have a lead on the General that will take time for even her APCs to make up.

"So where does she go? There's no refuge trying to head north of the Commonwealth itself: might as well go jump in the Glowing Sea. She's north of the communities. Taking another Minutemen settlement doesn't keep her out of the war.

"You don't think she's trying to go to our ancestral home?"

Cypress' eyes narrowed. "To the experiment that birthed us. That forged children into troops and sharpened them by casting them out into the most irradiated, harshest days after the bombs. The very reason we use the cranium instead of the skull as our symbol."

-a really, really long day-

The General banged her fist repeatedly on the door to vault 75. Her training and experience as a lawyer commanded her not to curse in front of people she needed to lead from authority. The words did not even fit in her mouth right. But these Gunners had run her and so many, so very many of her men ragged. Caesar himself could not have moved men as fast as these Gunners raced.

And now, in a vault nearly as unknown as Vault 111 itself, these Gunners were encamped north of every line she had.

"Um, General?", a power armor clad Minutemen prompted. As if any lesser protected member of the force would not dare.

"You should hear this." Then he turned away to lead her to one of the ham radios they had placed in the APCs.

"This is a recorded message. It will repeat in three seconds.", Captain Bridget's voice sounded.

"Vault 75 is withdrawing from all hostilities in the Commonwealth Civil War.

"As a mercenary unit, we have a duty to complete any mission for our clients. Even if that mission is fighting to the death. But the Gunners as it stands have no clients. They are attacking what should be their clients.

"As a mercenary unit, we have a duty to complete any mission for our clients. We have never had any arrangement with the competing mercenary unit known as the Minutemen.

"We will not give up our values. We will not stop being mercenaries of codes. Of honor. And we will refuse to engage in destruction for destruction's sake. Therefore, the door to Vault 75 will remain closed for the foreseeable future."

"This is a recorded message."

The General snatched the microphone to her mouth. "You better cower in there, bitch! If any of us catch you outside your precious little cage, you're dead. Dead!"

Brandis moved to take the microphone from her. "Dead!", she screamed.

-a few days ago-

Tessa finally shared Cypress' grin. "So the entire Commonwealth will be threatened by a mercenary presence from the north. Even though all the Minutemen have to cover is a door, and they can do that with mostly automated turrets that they can easily produce considering their resources: the civilians of the Commonwealth will have yet another enemy to fear. And to fear that the Minutemen can't protect them from. After all, Bridget will have shown that she...no, Gunners can run roughshod through the entire Commonwealth and strike any community whenever we want.

"And all it will cost us is a bunch of traitors who we can't use in the war effort anyway!"

Cypress agreed. "But there's more than that. Yes, Vault 75 will be able to be contained with as few people as we're using to contain Vault 88. But in the chasing of Captain Bridget, the General will have pulled forces all the way to the northeast reaches of the Commonwealth. And away from the river which she's so far successfully defended."

Tessa jumped off the desk. "So we'll finally be able to take Egret Tours Marina."

Cypress shook his head. "I actually have a different target in mind."


	74. The Commonwealth Civil War - 20

"General, I have good news and bad news.", a power armor clad private came up. "And I got two pieces of both."

The General looked up from watching the automatic turrets being set up around the door to Vault 75. Which was going to complement the number of Minutemen that would have to be located here just to blockade the door and enforce Vault 75's siege. "It must be pretty bad news if your sargent sent her power armor to do the talking.", she commented.

The armor shifted side to side as if the person piloting it shrugged.

"Alright. Let me hear some good news for a change.", she ordered.

"Major MacCready's squad has come in from out in the cold.", was the reply.

"Where?"

"Tenpines Bluff.", the private answered.

The General narrowed her eyes. "How did...He was ordered behind lines on the East Highway line. How did he make it so far north as Tenpines?"

"That's part of the bad news.", the Minutemen supplied. "Apparently, his squad over heard some intel that a group of Gunners under the command of Captain Bridget were going to head north to escape the war. He headed north to find out more and possibly head them off."

"Oh, good grief.", the General lamented. "Your second piece of good news?"

"I've heard that Conway just announced the second super villain that the Silver Shroud has taken down.", the power armor warped voice supplied.

"Really?", the General prompted.

"Well, you know how Conway said that the Shroud was back at it with the Fenway Phantom's defeat? Well, he just confirmed the take down of the Mechanist. So on top of the raider gangs that have gone silent, we also don't have to contend with those wandering random robots anymore."

The General shook her head. "Don't get that hopeful, soldier. Just because she's gone down doesn't mean the Shroud has gotten all of her creations. Even if the Shroud exists outside Kent Conway's head."

"'She', ma'am?", the private asked.

The General talked over the Minuteman. "What's the last piece of bad news?"

The power armor showed that the pilot took a very deep breath. "You...may want to come listen for yourself."

She clenched her eyes shut. "What's on the television?"

"er...It's not just television any more, General."

The General raced off, out of the abandoned school that sat atop Vault 75. As soon as she found a contingent of the Minutemen that had chased Captain Bridget's Gunners...deserters...conscientious objectors? sitting around a radio, she listened in.

"Ole Red Eye here!", the annoying voice on the radio announced. "Now, I'm sure you're wondering how Red Eye got - that's right - another promotion. Red Eye, just how are you coming and tickling my ears over the striking sound of WRVR?"

The General face palmed.

"Well, you know that Colonel Cypress is a wizened old military man. So he knows it's important to get the info out to the people. That's you - the people that is, not Colonel Cypress. Anyway. He sees me doing my television show. And I'm doing a damn fine show. I'm bringing on Gunner cuties to ogle and showing war footage of those pansy ass Minutemen getting blown up and bringing the heat with my guitar."

At this point a tremelo of random notes came over the radio.

"So Cypress comes in and asks 'Red Eye. Are you a man of the people?' Or course I'm a man of the people. He knows that because he knows that I am the real deal. So I'm like, 'Hell yeah!' and he's all 'I knew you were because I knew that you are the real deal.'

"But he goes on to say, 'But I got you out here doing TV. How many of the people got a working TV anymore?'. And I get to thinkin'. I'm thinking real hard. Like a two cans of PURIFIED WATER and a bottle of SCOTCH stuck out in the wastes and which do I drink first and which do I drink last to get me home, mathematical type thinking. So I say to him - I say 'Only the fancy dandiest type. The type that act like they can go through life never getting their hands dirty, like the General and her hand picked la-di-da Mayors that rule over the real people us Gunners have been trying to free.'

"So he says, 'You know it. If you want to take a message to the people, then nowadays you gotta be on radio.' And it just so happens that us Gunners have just stomped all over the Commonwealth recently. We ran past Vault 88 and Diamond City and Bunker Hill. Just all up in your business like a mother-in-law that just moved in. And with the Minutemen panicking in response, we had ab-so-lute-ly no resistance at all when we just snatched up WRVR.

"Inside of fifteen minutes, I got these sissy actor guys all trussed up like a kidnapp victim with no ransom coming. I'm all settled in at WRVR, to bring you - the real people - the real deal about how us Gunners are just winning the war left and right.

"I'm even gonna let you get a little news right now. This just in - we've completely surrounded Egret Tours Marina. And you know it's true because you've seen the Minutemen pull back trying to chase down the guys we sent up north all into your neighborhood. Hell, even this fine radio station is north of the Marina. Egret Tours, and with it control of the river, is going to be slaughtered out from underneath the Minutemen. And but quick.

"Now that you all are informed, I think it's time for one of my sure fire hits.

"Ahem.

"Gunners gonna be gunnin' fer you..."


	75. The Commonwealth Civil War - 21

"I have every settlement west of 81 asking where their Minutemen are.", Preston stated.

The colonels had been gathered at the Castle. The representatives of the communities had attempted a council meeting. But somehow, Radio Freedom did not seem to perform to his usual efficiency in coordination. And in the obviously hectic recall he probably was not going to return to that standard exactly just yet.

"And I have the tip of the spear cut from the shaft.", the General responded. "This situation calls for a bit more brutality than diplomacy. And I would very much like that directed outward."

She took a breath.

"The column I managed to create, minus the force laying siege to Vault 75, is on parade past the communities. After one witnesses a Minutemen mobilization first hand, Radio Freedom's going to coordinate a trip to the Castle for them to meet. Hopefully, that will help to take the sting out of WRVR."

"Where are they parading to?", Shaw asked. "Or is it just more propaganda and they'll be reassigned to the settlements once they show themselves to Vault 88?"

The General shook her head. "We don't have resources for show anymore. Brutality - remember?

"To break the siege on Egret Tours Marina, we're going to have to punch a hole in the surrounding forces. We get the most profit from that punched hole being WRVR itself. It shuts up Red Eye and it helps to secure the river so we can melt the enemy on the bridge cutting the Marina off."

Preston nodded. "But reclaiming WRVR's going to be no easy task. Every time territory has changed hands in this conflict has been become of some favor of fortune and luck for one side or the other."

"And that's why she's not reclaiming it.", Brandis stated, having read the General correctly.

"Hole, Preston.", the General confirmed. "We aren't taking WRVR back from the Gunners.

"The force on parade is headed here, to the Coast Guard Pier. The territory we're going to take is one that we should have set up shop earlier but didn't because of a lack of a workshop and it being a super mutant encampment. So instead of attempting to maintain a civilian presence, for the time being we're just going to use it as a bombing site.

"WRVR is in a direct line of site. If the Gunners want a fight, we can retreat faster than they can advance thanks to our APCs and they can fight the super mutants stationed there. When they leave us alone rather than take casualties fighting a force that isn't us when no one's paying them, we're going to set up artillery. Which will be in point blank range. Of WRVR.

"And blow the entire thing off the map. Red Eye and all."

Preston stood up. "But they have hostages. The actors that stage the Silver Shroud shows..."

The General's WRAPAROUND GOGGLES glared at him. "Red Eye and all."

"But...", Preston attempted to protest. The faces around him were silent. The man slowly settled back down into his chair.

"So first, Brandis.", the General continued. "Head back to Fort Hagen. Your expertise has been away for far too long.

"Shaw: figure out how much material we're going to have to supply from the settlements just to keep the column fed.

"Preston: I need you to sell this offensive to the settlements. They have to see this as a potential sacrifice that is made on the backs of heroes. Even the taking the time to exterminate the super mutants instead of moving directly on WRVR. Even the demands that are now being placed on Curie's command.

"Do you have misgivings about that colonel?"

Preston gaped at her. Of course he had misgivings. The Minutemen were on the way to taking back the wasteland, not blowing chunks of it up. But this was nearly executing civilians. Granted, a very few that were being used as human shields specifically so the General's orders could be curtailed. It didn't look like she was being moved either.

"I'll try to reassure them.", he said.

"Good.", the General accepted.

"What do you wish I to contribute to this endeavor.", the Admiral rasped out.

"Pack a couple of boats with medical treatment for the rescue of survivors.", the General instructed.

Preston looked back up at her.

She continued without changing the beat. "If MacCready and his men have a chance, they're already ordered to take it. If the actors can not be freed by the time the artillery rains down on the building, then hopefully they'll be enough targeting at that range where we can steer clear of the hostages. In that case, MacCready's team will just have to make due with sorting them out from the rubble.

"Long story short, be there with prepared medical help when we call."

The General stood. "If everyone knows their jobs, I have a column to lead. And maybe MacCready's leash to hold a little tighter."

"Before you go.", the ever disguised Desdemona interrupted. "I've been hearing a few rumors."

The General nodded. "If it's just rumors, I'm going to have to ask a for a clear room."

The others looked to each other, nodded in return and left.

"So what have you been hearing?", she challenged.

"Nothing definite, mind you.", the Railroad's colonel cautioned. "But you do see how the Commonwealth's most powerful forces are draining themselves against each other."

"And like any organization, a house divided cannot stand. So someone could be thinking about making a move that they think either won't be noticed or is too small fry for either us or the Gunners to care about.

"Unless you're talking about an external threat.", she surmised.

Desdemona kind of shrugged. "We have ears through the caravans. Sometimes even farther. News is traveling."

"To where?", the General demanded.

"Where else? The Capital Wastes. Home of the Brotherhood of Steel. A force that has been undefeated for two hundred years. Except for/"

"The Institute or the Minutemen, depending on how one wants to look at it. And even without the Institute serving on the front or back line, that's not how tales get told. With the Institute as one of our communities, we're one and the same. And very publicly weakening by the day in this civil war."

Desdemona overtook the conversation. "And if someone wanted to take advantage of an opportunity, and only had their invasion force but none of their home force exhausted, one might see this as an opportunity. But only an opportunity...if one was thinking clearly, and not filled with thoughts of 'redeeming the honor of the corps' or simple revenge. If one were to consider the destruction of a flagship and highest ranking member humiliating."

"Desdemona.", the General commanded. "I can't be concerned with the theoretical right now. I need...need, need, need for you to get me something concrete. If you can get me just one Brotherhood of Steel agent. Even if it's just a corpse in uniform with something dated after the sinking of the Prydwin."

"You know, this could prove to be more important than information about the Gunners. Despite the stunt they just pulled.", the operative warned.

The General's eyes remained hidden behind expressionless windows of polymer. "Believe me. I know."


	76. End Game - 4

1

"What was all that commotion about?", Edward demanded. "We nearly got found out here.

"And then lo and behold, it's a whole posse of Minutemen. I thought you were the number one fan of keepin' this whole deal on the hush hush."

The General nodded along as she walked with the ghoul back to where the alien spacecraft was hidden. "I do, I do. The Gunners...well, as far as we can tell, some Gunner deserters that is, rushed north along the train tracks. It was all I could to get a force I did control to counter the one I don't that would have run roughshod all over the place.

"Did any one get close enough to/"

"Not that I can tell.", Deegan reported. "When you came barrelling through, it was still a ways south of here.

"Your Minutemen must be shaping up into really something if they can stop an all out Gunner push."

The General dismissed that as optimism she could not afford. "It wasn't all the Gunners by a long shot. And the only explanation the force that deserted is broadcasting out of yet another previously hidden vault is that they felt the Gunner side of the war was attacking their clients. If I was truly reckless, I'd try to recruit them before the war was over. But there's a difference between trying to convince this Captain Bridget to accept the Commonwealth's council as the 'new' Gunner's sole client and trying to convince her men to shoot the people they've grown up with instead of the Minutemen that have hassled them this whole time."

The ghoul wondered, "How far in the future do you think in? I mean, Jack and I have been awake the entire time you were frozen. And Jack's even older than I am. He doesn't even seem to have the perspective you show."

"Thank you.", the General accepted.

"That's not an answer.", Edward pointed out.

"Neither is 'Let's get a move on.', is it?", the General continued.

2

The General handed Dr. Cabot another vial of MYSTERIOUS SERUM. "And that's replicated. One hundred percent tested and in use in the Institute proper. If I can ever get this new nation in a state where we can have real industry and not just another fight on our hands, we might be able to end old age and infirmity in humanity."

"What about hunger, thirst, irradiation, shelter, want, violence, and the newly mutated spot much lower down on the food pyramid?", the man casually countered.

"One thing at a time, Dr.", the General replied. "I've learned that the hard way. Trying to find my son and fight the force that took him. Trying to restore order and be Overboss. Trying to cope with the loss of my husband and then traveling with Preston...

"Yeah, one thing at a time.

"So what have you learned. Why am I keeping you in serum?"

Jack walked over to pieces of technology that were roughly the size of now holes gaping in the craft's hull. "Well, I've figured out the theory behind a lot of these components. Fortunately, a lot of the technology is akin to things human scientists had mathematically proven were possible in our universe even though pre-war engineering had no hope of actually inventing the things.

"Plus, a lot of it was based on having way more energy available than we could provide. Besides the idea of attempting to generate that much power in so little space. In fact, that black polyhedral construct there is what I think is the core source of energy for the entire ship. I am not opening that thing up, and even you can't convince me to do so. Because the only things I can even conceive of it being are either a long term anti-matter matter reaction of true zero-point energy: as in mining the void, Hawking radiation, virtual particles from a vacuum zero-point energy."

The General nodded. "Okay. So what safety precautions do you need to find out?"

"Depends on how quickly you want to destroy what's left of the world.", Dr. Cabot tried to explain. "If you want to lose our tidal stability and burn away the atmosphere, we could try cracking it on the near side of the moon which might crack. If you're looking for a longer game like just pushing our orbit out of the Goldilocks zone, you might want to try opening the thing on Mars. I did mention that it could be a zero-point energy generator, right?"

"Have you found anything that we can use?", the General demanded. "Before the race or races that built this come back and find a species vicious enough to nuke itself out of its own civilization and into wastelands but with no defense against technology of this magnitude."

"Very much, actually.", Dr. Cabot stated. "That over there is a micro-wave, xeon thruster. Those are an actual example of warp coils or at least that's to be surmised from the abberations of the atomic clock you've gotten me. These are crystal laser hard light projectors."

"Whats?", the woman asked.

"Er...have you ever watched any science fiction based on star ships? Shields, effectively. Not just force fields, like a magnetic field to dissuade a missile from it's route to a tank or the earth's gravitational field. Actual immaterial shielding...or solid holograms, depending on the crystal. However, these crystals seem to be mutable under electric current so both maybe?"

"Can humanity build any of this and have it work?", the General pressed.

Dr. Cabot looked around helplessly. "To get a working spacecraft? The Minutemen and its settlements...I don't see it. The Institute that can have a Mark I synth walking around today in combat ready status from how many decades ago? Maybe the thrusters, the blasters... You want to use the warp coils and shields to make a manned mission to Alpha Centauri in a month or less? With re-knitting, micro meteor resistant, micron thick solar sails and the other secondary system gadgets this thing is storing like a Vault's E.D.E.N. device?

"You're going to need a united humanity. I mean no other effort other than starship city and infrastructure to support the humanity that's supporting starship city. And that's only the first step to providing some sort of defense."

The General sat down on what she hoped was at least terrestrial in origin. "Alright. This can be done.

"Dr. Cabot. I need you to write a proposal for a space program utilizing not only this technology but our current. It needs to include suggestions on how to supplement any needs gaps with human invented tech. And how to go about inventing any missing pieces.

"Do that, and I should be able to get you a seat at the Institute.


	77. The Commonwealth Civil War - 22

1

"Look alive."

"Where?", MacCready asked. He lay next to the General on an upper floor of what was left of the Coast Guard's station.

The General checked the V.A.T.S. function of her PIPBOY. "WRVR roof. Trying to hide on the other side of the antenna."

MacCready carefully took aim.

Taking the station from the super mutants had been...well, easy was not a word that should be used about super mutants. But of all the things in this war versus the Gunners, at least this was one that was fatality free. With the salvage (or spoils if preferred) the operation was nearly profitable. Except for the inevitable clean up that reminded way too many of what they looked like on the inside.

The problems arose after the Gunners were certain the super mutants had given them all the grief they were going to. Attempting to construct artillery to destroy a competent, entrenched, enemy force when they could see you doing it was about the boldest thing the General felt she had done.

The myth of the General served her. The very idea of a single pre-war relic that rebuilt the Minutemen, heeled the Institute, had been everywhere from the Glowing Sea and Nuka-World to Far Harbor and who knows where else inspired these Minutemen to do whatever was demanded of them. One of those demands was to fight sniper fire with sniper fire and win. The other, the real horror show, was to trust in their fellow Minutemen to do that while they actually scavenged and built the very ARTILLERY PIECES that were step two of this mission.

All the while, Red Eye was talking up every hit they took no matter how quickly a STIM PACK was applied. The wasteland was weird enough that keeping dry and radiation free next to the river was somehow harder than finding an enemy sniper with a telescopic, night vision capable scope and laser hot enough to dry the wettest soldier out. Powdered cement and busted rubble seemed to be in abundance compared to the raw steel needed, and a hasty concrete wall popped up to take some of the slack off of the sniper cover team.

And this whole debacle turned into weeks.

They were in information black out. If they needed reinforcements, then they'd use one of the ham radios in the APCs. But otherwise, the whole area was declared just as dangerous as the actual East Highway Line and Piper was not allowed anywhere near. Radio Freedom kept on like clockwork in his usual hyper professional way. Travis "Lonely" Miles had puffier and puffier pieces of news as the fronts of the war had more than stabilized. Only Silver Shroud Radio seemed to have any real pep, as pre-war tapes provided new content and rumors abounded of the Commonwealth's very own being out there somewhere and another raider gang was confirmed to not exist where they had supposedly been holed up. But the lack of newly generated content and concern for the fate of the actors still came through.

MacCready fired and the Gunner dropped. His sliding form implied he was being dragged somewhere that he could be STIM PACKed back onto the line. Well, tomorrow there would not be a line.

2

Major MacCready would not let the General be the first to disembark. She told him to save it for Knock-Knock.

After the mortar station was finally ready it _pounded_ WRVR. The radio station had remained standing, let alone fully operational, through the Great War's end. The General was the last person to be convinced that the installation was ready to be taken. Stage three complete, stage four kicked in. That the Minutemen had made Preston's once laughingly said prophecy "You going to start a Minutemen navy?" come in useful, as the small tugs brought soldiers across the river for mop up duty.

"General, I've got movement." A Minutemen covered the pile of rubble as others cleared off. When George Cooper was pulled out, he was immediately stabbed without explanation. His surprised look only faded when he realized it must have been a STIM PACK and not the knife that cut the ropes that had bound him when a woman held out a can of PURIFIED WATER. "Drink this.", she ordered and ran him back to a boat. Rex Goodman soon followed him. They were never seen again...outside Vault 114 on Far Harbor. New episodes of the Silver Shroud resumed two weeks later.

"Have you found him yet?", the General asked. A laser blast made them all duck for a second. The resounding return of Minutemen fire ensured that yesterday's Gunner would not be in shape to be found tomorrow.

"Movement!", a Minutemen from much closer to the front of the obliterated building called out. Rifles were readied all around. When Red-Eye finally crept out of the wreckage, a 10 MILLIMETER PISTOL was plucked from what remained of his hand.

"I thought you played the guitar.", the General asked while holding both his and her pistol on the prone man.

"Uh...hey, Overboss.", Red-Eye. "I could really take a STIM PACK right about now."

The General tilted her head. "But I thought you were the real deal.

"Do you think it's a war crime to poor Nuka-Cola on where you're bleeding and seeing if that refreshes you?"

"Now see here.", Red-Eye tried to defend himself. "I didn't care much for Colter myself."

"Or the gauntlet?"

"Or the guantlet."

"The slavery?"

"Couldn't stand it, Overboss."

"The Gunners and this war they've started that you've been rebranding?"

He spent the last of his energy looking up. "I'm not talking my way out of this, am I?"

The General stood up. "Grab this fool. And someone get him to cough up where Lizzie Wyath ran off to."

"Who?", MacCready asked.

"Nuka-World was once overrun by three raider gangs.", the General explained. "The most business minded were the Operators. They had a rogue chemist that specialized in weaponizing chems. The fact that we haven't faced her chems on the battlefield yet means that she didn't escape to the Gunners, the Forged or the Rust Devils."

"Maybe you killed her.", the major offered. "You did shoot up three gangs and took out all of their leadership. Even you can't keep track of that many enemy combatants."

"But I can keep track of bodies.", she countered. "None of them had that particular mix of BUFFOUT, JET, and blood smell.

"Hopefully the Shroud catches up to her before she finds someone that can back her work."


	78. The Commonwealth Civil War - 23

1

"Well, General. Simply put, the public wants to know why the war is going so badly.", Piper stated.

Piper was one of the three people stuffed into Diamond City Radio. The others being the General and Travis "Lonely" Miles. After being off the board for three weeks, the public needed to be reassured that the General's firm hand was still at the tiller. Diamond City's radio station reached nearly as many people as the Institutes without the requisite mystery or Radio Freedom's without the obvious Minutemen control. So the press conference was being held to reassure the public.

But Piper seemed out to prove that she was not compromised in the slightest by her relations with the General.

"Ms. Wright.", the General began before a breath. "I simply disagree with that statement. I am certain that if you were to ascertain the assessment done by anyone with significant military experience, they too would disagree with that statement. No communities on the Commonwealth Council have come under direct attack this entire time; not even Atom Cats Garage."

"But the 'March North' as it is being called.", Piper objected.

"Was prevented, by the Minutemen mind you, from becoming anything else.", the General reminded. "At no time did any community face Gunner mercenaries without a Minutemen response separating the two. And due to careful handling of intelligence, a sizable number of would be combatants are now held within the confines of Vault 75 and will not be returning to the battlefield. This so-called march has obviously been a success for the Commonwealth."

The reporter tilted her head and it came through on her tone. "Would you include the loss of WRVR success? And if so, what becomes the measure of success?"

"WRVR was a resource spent.", everyone's favorite Vault dweller replied. "But the actors were rescued and have now been placed in a safer situation where they continue to practice their craft. B-T-dub, I understand that next week there will be more new content for the Silver Shroud fans out there."

"B-T-dub?"

"B-T-W, 'by the way'. Sorry, just a little bit of twenty-first century lingo that slipped out.", the General apologized. "The point is that in the destruction of a single building, the Commonwealth have gained intelligence sources have been gained and no civilians are dead. Sure, we may have been lucky. But luck or no, the Minutemen have still protected and done its duty."

"Does that duty include incarcerating journalists?", Piper asked.

The General glanced at Travis. He shrugged. "I'm sorry?"

"Is the radio broadcaster known as Red-Eye in Minutemen custody?", the reporter continued.

The General rolled her eyes. "Russel is not a journalist by any stretch of the imagination. The man was raider and an agent of slavers that managed to escape the freeing of Nuka-World. His appearance among the Gunners just as they seek to destroy the innocent people of the Commonwealth only serves to speak to his bloodthirstiness. At times, I nearly wish the situation had become dire enough to not house prisoners of war because then the world would finally be rid of the idiot menace. But I'm not that person."

Piper reminded, "Red-Eye was also the only source of information from the other perspective in the ongoing hostilities."

"He was feeding lies as written by Gunners to the populace in order to mislead. Russel, his real name by the way, has never educated anyone. Least of all himself. A propagandist is not a news agent, Ms. Wright. One is an afront to your craft."

"Hm.", the reporter mused. "Let's talk about the effect of your time away. While you were on the front lines, the rate of raider attacks dropped at a lower rate than when you were overseeing operations from the Castle or at one of the communities and settlements."

"But they still dropped.", the General pointed out. "I cannot _be_ the Commonwealth. This has to be able to continue without me. I understand that I have certain...unique qualifications with my regard by the Institute and my personal accomplishments. But our nation has to be able to hold without the linchpin of a single person. I refuse to be Charlemagne."

"Who?"

"The founder of the Holy Roman Empire? Germany and France became separate nations when his grandsons fought over territory after his death?"

Piper shook her head.

"Anyway. The Minutemen's ability to curtail raiders on a permanent basis while still defending the Commonwealth from the threat of the Gunners is a credit to the corps. Even without me, or Colonel Garvey, the people will be able to place their faith in the Minutemen. Just because I'll continue to serve the best I can doesn't mean that everyone should be waiting for the other shoe to drop."

The reporter nodded. "So how long do you expect this war to take? Considering the speed that the campaigns against the Rust Devils and the Forged."

"I refuse to speculate on that in public.", the General pointed out. "First, everyone has an idea in their head on how long they'd like the war to last and my answer is nearly guaranteed to be longer than that which will demoralize. Secondly, even if we had perfect knowledge of the enemy and Colonel Cypress was a careless raider instead of an experienced mercenary leader, any given accident of fate from a Gunner tank blowing a gasket to a stronger than normal rad storm would change the result. Third, I want the Gunners to realize that I will take forever and victory over compromising the Commonwealth to their evil."

2

The two women walked back from Diamond City Radio to Publick Occurences. The General exchanged greetings with the residents as they strolled by.

"Did you really need to be that harsh, Piper?", the General asked.

"Blue.", Piper replied. "You know I've always believed that what serves as government needs to be held accountable to the people. As far as I've been able to determine, the Commonwealth has always been a place to celebrate a government behoven to the people - even before the Great War. And that means pressing hard enough that the truth is certain.

"Besides, are you finally trying to use our relationship to compromise my morals?"

"Of course not.", the General answered. "But understand that the entire war effort is connected. The economic output of the Commonwealth is how we can afford to save it. And how everyone feels about the war is how hard they are going to try to win it. That's why I don't sugar coat how much of a threat the Gunners are: it would have too many people relax, thinking that this was going to be easy. But the country needs to avoid a defeatist attitude as well.

"It would be different if this wasn't something we needed to do. Like say, there was a stash of bottle caps underground somewhere and a pack of ghouls were sitting on it where we just like to win but it wouldn't aid the common man. But Colonel Cypress is actually trying to bring back the bad old days where the only protection a person could count on was what they could pay for in caps."

Piper took her hand. "So now, in private."

"Of the record.", the General corrected.

"Sure, off the record.", Piper agreed. "How long do you think this is going to go on?"

"Depends on how much the Brotherhood of Steel interferes.", the General explained. "The Railroad's reported that news of the war has reached the Capital Wastes. If they're ever going to seek revenge for sinking the Prydwyn, now's the time - when we're divided."

"The Brotherhood of Steel?", Piper exclaimed.

"That was off the record.", the General reminded.

Piper looked her in the eye. She squeezed the woman's hand as she nearly bounced in place.

"Don't you do it.", the General warned.

"I gotta find another source then, one from the caravans.", Piper told her. She kissed her on the cheek. "But it's in the next issue. Sorry, not really."

The reporter rushed off, just as Nick Valentine happened to be walking by. "She certainly has a bee in her bonnet. Everything going alright?"

"According to plan, Nick.", the General replied.


	79. The Commonwealth Civil War - 24

1

The General hung her legs over the wall of the Castle with the rebuilt wharf in it. It was peaceful...in that the Gunners showed no sign of having a naval force and that the sky was temporarily clear of the threat of bombarding the world with a return of the radioactivity humanity spewed into it and the Glowing Sea and the ocean and well, everywhere. It still was not her college quad experience. She had her reports from the weeks she was away, the top of the Castle's wall seemed to support what passed for grass in the post apocalypse and it was breezy enough. But like so many things in this world, it was what it was.

A woman in an ASSAULT GAS MASK and non-descript clothing sat down next to her. A Minutemen approached. Two soulful glares that transcended the lenses that covered the eyes that generated them were cast his way. The man executed a smart about-face and wandered away.

"So, you ordered me to inform you /"

"When you got solid proof.", the General reminded.

Desdemona nodded. "Does a Brotherhood of Steel agent count?"

The General let out a girlish squeal and grabbed her colonel's arm. "And you didn't tell me?"

"You were in a closed off operation in the field.", the intelligence leader countered. "The only entry for a Railroad plant was on one of the boats that aided in the river crossing, which wouldn't have worked because vessel crews are small enough to know one another."

The General nodded. "Okay. Tell me what you know about the agent now."

"Well, she's not saying anything about anything.", Desdemona warned. "Except, you know, the hate. Civilians are incompetent this, wastelanders are useless that, synths and ghouls and anything that came about post-war shouldn't be considered people..."

"And how do you know that this is really a Brotherhood member and not someone who just shares their bigotry but couldn't make their cut?", the General asked.

"The dog tags described the person wearing them. And she only had the one set, so I doubt she's a scavver.", was the answer.

The General turned out to sea. "Stop her interrogation."

"Excuse me?", the Colonel objected. "With the Brotherhood encroaching on the Commonwealth because this war with the Gunners has weakened it, we need to know what their leaderships assessment is."

The General shook her head. "We already do. They have enough reports to warrant sending in agents. They don't know enough specifics to launch an organized operation. Nor are they confident enough in its success that they want to stamp their name on the side.

"End the interrogation. Keep the agent contained. We need her as she's the only proof we have of Brotherhood interference. That's an order."

Desdemona thought for a moment. "I don't get it. Her corpse and dogtags would be enough evidence of the Brotherhood's presence, right?"

"Not politically.", the General explained. "Everything about the Gunner war is dragging on into some future schedule. While everything on paper says that the Minutemen will win (our economy, our superior population, Brandis' fielded equipment, and the like), the war itself is proving to be this long expansive campaign. We come up with something and they adapt. They push our buttons and we push back. Hell, how many Assaultrons have yet to be fielded by their side?

"It's about time I tried to handle this the way I got to be General: personally."

"What?"

"When I was working with the Railroad and the Minutemen to find my son, I was doing the missions that built my reputation across the Commonwealth. I've even done the same sort of ops for the Institute. I've personally sunk the Prydwyn. You were there when I staged the Railroad's elimination. Maybe it's my pre-war biology, my pre-war military training or just expert use of a PIP-BOY. It seems like I'm meant to do this on my own."

Desdemona pointed out, "The colonels will never allow that. The _council_ will never allow that."

"And that's why I'm not telling them.", the General said. "You are.

"You're right for all the reasons that exist. Preston would rather march into Gunner Plaza itself than let me hit the field alone. The council pull every backstabbing move they could think of to keep me in the Castle, from accusing me of desertion to attempting to oust me as General so I could be ordered to stay. So after I've left, you're going to make sure Garvey, Brandis, Zao and Shaw know that I've hit the field."

"To do what?", the spy head asked.

"Assassinate Cypress?", the General mused. "Find some weak point in their tank or Assaultron ranks and exploit it, turning the Gunner strength upon the Gunner force? I always found something. I even found a way into the Institute by pressing hard enough."

"You know that just because I know you're capable of it, doesn't mean everyone else will accept that you're capable of it. Don't you, Bullseye?", Desdemona emphasized.

"Bullseye?", the General asked.

"If you're going to act like an Heavy, you're going to get treated like a Heavy.", Desdemona replied. "Besides, what did you expect - me to call you by your real name?"

"It would be nice if someone did. Between 'Blue' and 'General' and 'Bullseye' and whatever long-winded nonsense Travis broadcasts across Diamond City Radio, I might end up forgetting what it was."

2

"Dr. Binet, is what I requested ready?", the Director asked.

"Yes, Direc...oh my.", the Robotics member exclaimed.

Despite having come deep inside the Institute, possibly the most secure location on the planet if not just the Commonwealth, the Director stood in a shifting hue power armor.

"What is that and why is it in our production facility?", Alan asked.

"When I was at Nuka-World, I managed to lay my hands on this X-01 power armor. It's layered with Mark VI plates and marked with some experimental Quantum-based coating that Nuka-Cola's top chemical engineers were working with the pre-war military to...do...something. After I get through with my mission, I'll let you examine the armor as long as you don't take a sample. Okay?"

"I'm sorry.", Dr. Binet relexively apologized. "Mission? But you're the director."

"Please don't make me go through what I avoided top-side with everyone down here.", the Director pleaded. "The war with the Gunners has to be shaken up. If I can do that, then I have to try. So just tell me, where are the engineering synths I've asked for?"

The scientist nodded. "Isabel has them. She seems to be able to socialize with the artificial way more than her fellow Institute members. I should probably be calling her 'Dr. Cruz' by now. But she just comes in, drops off a design from an approach we would have never thought of and back into her office."

"Well, get the synths. We're hitting the field."


	80. The Commonwealth Civial War - Last

"General sighted! Over.", the Sargent called into his APC's ham radio.

"What have you got?", was the reply broadcast back. "It's not like I can just grab at Colonel Brandis' time anymore. Over."

"My crew is looking at that shifting hue of pre-war Quantum painted X-01 armor. Now if Nuka-Cola produced a bunch of them, I'll delay my report. But if not, I think command is gonna want to get a vertibird out here pronto. Over."

"Roger that. Consider recovery in motion. And put in for Radio Freedom to get you another crew. Over."

With the state of things being what they were, they were much more likely to get that reinforcement. The crew encountered the power armor and its characteristic gleam on a run from the Castle to Goodneighbor. There were units to the north and south available. Well, now that the shooting of the Gunners' attacks were over.

Fronts no longer existed. The Commonwealth, or at least what was left of it, was completely under Minutemen operational control again. Aside from Vaults 75 and 95. Vault 75 was negotiating its opening. Vault 95 was expected to crack in a matter of days according to the surviving Gunners that had kept it supplied. Even though Colonel Shaw had argued for pouring concrete over the entrance and letting the sole remaining hostile force of Gunners try to chip their way out.

The APC rolled up to the power armor, which was clearly the Quantum coated model with slapdash Minutemen markings. It slowly, oh so slowly, took steps north. The APC stopped and its crew disembarked.

"General!", the Sargent called out.

The armor looked as if tried to spin but couldn't quite muster the strength to turn that suddenly. Once it did face the Minutemen crew, the General took off her helmet. "You gentleman wouldn't happen to be carrying a FUSION CORE?"

The Sargent now saw some of the state of the General. "We also have a BOWL OF NOODLES, PURIFIED WATER, a STIMPACK, and a RADAWAY with your rank on it General.", he offered.

"Oh.", the woman commented. "That would be lovely."

The armor's back popped open and it seemed like the fastest Minuteman in the world leaped into existence to keep the General from hitting the ground.

The Sargent immediately started barking orders. "You, get her back to the APC and load her up. Corporal, find out where that vertibird is and get it here. Private, grab the FUSION CORE out of yours and get the General's on board. If there isn't room for yours and hers, then switch back and run yours and join me on the perimeter. Go."

A moment later, the General - still in full uniform and smelling like everyone else did for a change - sat in the APC trying to drink down enough to counter the overwhelming thirst of a STIMPACK.

"I failed.", she told the Minuteman set to watch over her.

"Failed, ma'am?" The Minuteman sounded confused.

"I set down the path that I put Major MacCready on.", the woman explained. "I took a set of Institute synths and went out to assassinate Colonel Cypress. I lost every single one of them. Hell, I barely made it back to our lines.

"Now this war will last forever."

The Minuteman stared out the back of the APC, over its now ramp instead of door. "Um...ma'am. The war's over.

"Gunner Plaza was nuked off the map."

This was the first bit of pep she showed since her recovery. "What?", the General demanded.

"Gunner Plaza went up in a heat flash.", the Minuteman attempted to explain. "I mean, we've been on this Castle Goodneighbor zone so I don't know exact specifics like you probably want, General. But yeah - the place was nuked. It's still piping hot from what I hear. And from what I hear tell, it came from the sky. Rumor has it that people saw a smoke trail across the sky just before the mushroom cloud."

"Corporal!", she snapped out. "Get that vertibird here, now. And tell Colonel Brandis he had better be on it. After that, push up to Radio Freedom and summon ever colonel to the Castle. And they better be informed about this nuclear strike despite my orders to the contrary."


	81. Investigation - 1

1

"How did this happen to the Gunners?", Piper asked.

The General held onto her hat as she and Colonel Brandis disembarked from the Vertibird. The reporter had managed to out sprint the Minutemen to meet her as she came off the gunship.

"Clear off for a minute, Ms. Wright." A Minuteman caught up with her. "We've let you in the Castle for entirely too long in my opinion. But hassling the General's over the line."

"What do you know about Gunner Plaza, Piper?", the General asked over the Minuteman's objection.

"So far, only what your forces are telling me, Blue. A streak of smoke across the sky, a mushroom cloud and suddenly no more Gunner Plaza. Seems like every front fell in a day or two. Nobody'll let me close to where the lines were due to 'mop up' operations.", the reporter replied.

The General nodded. "First, you've got full access until we find out what happened. You're the most investigative press in the Commonwealth. And I want complete transparency on this. When I find out who actually used a nuclear weapon/"

"Don't say it, Blue.", Piper commanded. "You've got a look about you that you might say you'll have the person hanged and pull the lever yourself. I don't think you can take something like that back."

"Was it you?", the General countered.

Piper's eyes doubled in size. "Goodness no."

"Then what I'm going to do to the person who tried to redo the end of the world isn't really your concern, is it?", the General pointed out. "Your job is journalism. I've just granted you access to keep the government responsible to the people. Do it."

The woman folded her arms. "Well, you said first. So I suppose there's a second."

The General shrugged. "Second, I'm going to go wash up and try to do something about this uniform. I've been inside of a tin can ever since I left.

"Third, Brandis. When I open my quarters I expect there to be every single colonel under my command waiting to debrief, is that clear?"

The old man shrugged. "I sent word to everyone. Zao's on his way here by boat. Shaw should be in the Castle already. Garvey should have hijacked a crew by now to get back here, especially now that you've returned. No idea about Desdemo...excuse me, code-named Desdemona."

"Alright. I'll see you shortly.", the General said.

When everyone walked back into the Castle and the vertibird was back in the sky, everyone but Piper split off from the General. The General gave her a questioning look. "You're the one that said I had full access. Let's see about washing the grime from being in the field off of you."

Blue rolled her eyes.

2

"Now that we're gathered...how much time do we have?", the General started.

The colonels were gathered around her table as they were usually wont to do. The General herself stood at the head while leaning on the table. Piper kept quiet in a chair in the corner of the office that served as the General's personal quarters.

"Before what?", Shaw asked.

Preston took up the baton. "If it's before the council arrives, maybe a day. Even with Minutemen offices in every community and direct contact with Radio Freedom, I had to spend every minute of your...what do you want me to call it? Absence? Mission? Reassuring every mayor in the Commonwealth that the Minutemen were stable enough to afford you going incognito.

"What were you thinking? General.", he finished.

"I was thinking that we were getting no where. So I...", the General started.

"I'm sorry. Ms. Wright, could you give us the room for thirty seconds? I have to discuss a military secret with my generals before we can continue."

The reporter smiled and shook her head. "No can do. I have full access until the investigation into the nuking of Gunner Plaza."

The General grit her teeth. Brandis spoke up, "You know you can just rescind that?"

"And it would be instantly worthless to extend.", the General admitted. "Fine.

"I had previously organized a strike team from our resources. I promoted MacCready to from sheriff to major and placed some of the hardiest residents of Far Harbor under his command and outfitted them as best they could request. I sent them on a disruption mission behind East Highway Line in order to try to collapse that front away from the Atom Cats Garage.

"And yes, it failed. But when they came in from out of the cold it was with intel that would have been valuable had I known it two days earlier.

"Between that and the Commonwealth's division not being capable of withstanding a Brotherhood of Steel assault, I thought to take matters into my own hands. I have before: considering the Institute or the Rust Devils. I set out with a series of custom designed synths in order to attempt what I sent MacCready in for."

"And how did that turn out?", Zao asked.

"I lost everyone in the field.", the General allowed. "Out of arrogance, I suppose. I'm swinging the entirety of the Minutemen at the Gunners and making the defense we are and then just say to myself 'but if I'm in the field, I'll Mistress of Mystery the whole war'. Couldn't have been more wrong if I tried."

"How did you manage to get behind the lines?", Shaw asked. "Everyone was looking for you, even with our Railroad representative trying to assure us that you had taken this up on your own."

"You don't know how many times Intelligence was accused of trying to form a coup by 'disappearing' you.", Desdmona commented. "The only thing that held that up was that no one believed we could take the Lone Survivor."

At that point, Piper pointed something out. "Wait a minute. I understood that caravans that had set out for the Capital Wastes after the war had started had made it back to the Commonwealth. What more of the Brotherhood of Steel is there? I mean, their presence here disappeared when the Prydwyn was blown out of the sky."

Everyone looked to the General. The woman sat back in her chair. "Desdemona?"

The Railroad commander shifted in her seat. "Intelligence caught a Brotherhood of Steel agent in the Commonwealth proper."

"You had solid evidence of Brotherhood interference and kept it under wraps?", the reporter reiterated.

"Yes, I did.", the General admitted. "The Commonwealth's population has heard too many easy victories. The Gunners seemed intractible. Fanning the flames of another power to fear...looked imprudent. So I ordered the Rail...Intelligence to keep the captured agent to themselves and tried to end the war with the Gunners myself.

"Who could have foreseen Gunner Plaza being nuked off the map? All our attentions were on threats posed to us, not the Gunner.

"And on that note: we're the largest threat the Gunners have faced. So I'm starting with some Minutemen contingent as my prime suspect."

The General took three identical devices from her coat. "Admiral, please explain to Ms. Wright what the functions of these are."

The ghoul nodded. "On board my Yangtze, there are functioning tactical nuclear missiles. They are the remainder of what were to be fired at the America during what is not called the Great War."

Piper's jaw dropped. Her pencil kept moving on her notes. But still...

"You have weapons from the Great War pointed at us.", she tried to understand.

"Not pointed.", he rasped. "The transmitters the General has displayed are homing beacons. The remaining missiles can only be launched by arming the transmitter and will use the transmitter itself as a target.

"When I agreed to aid the Commonwealth under the command of the General, I explicitly told her that she had these three mistakes before I would take my Yangtze, filled with what the Commonwealth provided, and leave for my homeland. As you can see by them all being intact here before you, she has not betrayed my confidence? No, expectations."

The General took over at that point. "Here's what's going to happen.

"Shaw: you're going to take Piper down to the armory and provide her a record of every MINI-NUKE taken in and show her that every single one is accounted for because none had better have gone out. And confirm that none of the road crews are armed with anything nuclear as well. In the meantime, have Hargrave get her a suit for radiation.

"Because afterwards you're taking her aboard your submarine, Admiral. You will show the reporter that all three of your missiles are in their tubes. And any thing else that's nuclear strike capable.

"I want every single possible nuclear capacity of the Minutemen to be shown to have not been used to Publick Occurences before the council gets here. And that can mean tomorrow. And let me be clear, this isn't a rubber stamp. I'm sending a civilian reporter because if there is any chicanery, I will consider attempting to deceive her a sign of guilt as much as a missing weapon.

"Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am.", the table chorused.

"Now that I think about it - Brandis. You've been trying to tell me about some project you've had going on before I even left. It have anything to do with anything of a nuclear capacity?"

"No, ma'am.", the man answered. "But now would be a good time to discuss/"

"Then it's on the back burner until I...we get to the bottom of this. I am **not** going to see a repeat of the end of the world. Ms. Wright, I suggest you see Shaw's attache about a RADIATION SUIT."

Piper stood and saluted sarcastically. Then she left the room.

"Alright, now with the reporter gone.", the General started. "In answer to you, Shaw. I got behind the lines because Vault 88 has two secret entrances that aren't its blast door. I used the one in University Point Pharmacy. The entrance itself is underground, hidden and protected by about five power doors and turrets in front of every one."

"And now for you guys. Was this one of you? No one wanted a war with a single entity to last this long. Red-Eye was a grade-A ass. Tell me if someone lost discipline while I was away."

"I don't think it was us, General.", Preston stated. "I mean, I don't see how it could be. I was with either a crew in an APC being driven to communities or talking with Mayors the whole time. Brandis is stationed with how many other personnel under Fort Hagen? Shaw's here at the Castle, and it's not exactly like she could load a MINI-NUKE into one of the artillery pieces. You just pointed out how Zao's weapons are under your direct authorization."

"Hm.", the General mused. "Alright. Then carry out my previous orders as regards to Ms. Wright. You only get a break if she requests some sleep. While she's doing that, Desdemona - I am coming with you and we are shaking down every safehouse you have. No arguments. A nuclear weapon went off in the Commonwealth. No arguments."

Desdemona leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. Her expression remained hidden behind the ASSAULT GAS MASK she wore around non Railroad members.

"And Brandis, you're not off the hook yet. I'm coming to Fort Hagen Hangar and I better like what I see. That includes things being in the state they are in now, because if I get there and everything is shiny like it's been gone over before I get there..."


	82. Investigation - 2

Author's Note: I will be responding to reviews in "Intermission" which will follow "Investigation". I'll discuss my reasoning for choices I made in the course of this story then. And maybe some things about where I see this going in the future. You have some time to get those reviews in considering how long "Investigation" will be and the rate at which I post. But fair notice.

1

The council, for once, sat somberly around the table in the General's office. The more unsavory characters like Trish and Hancock could read the aura of the General. She was not to be trifled with today. The more sheltered ones like Calvin, Faraday, and Geneva seemed like they had been cowed by the atmosphere alone. This was not a debate waiting to be started. Even the world weathered Old Man Stockton appeared to understand. Avery and G9-81 kept quiet.

"Uh, what's with the dead air?", Roxxy asked.

"A mushroom cloud of it just came off Gunner Plaza.", the General snapped back. "The whole place went up in nuclear fire."

"Well, if that's the case then the Gunners are seriously weakened. You need to/"

"No. You need to, Stockton.", the General cut off. "I know exactly what I'm doing. And I'm going to tell you what you're going to be doing."

The woman took a steadying breath.

"After, of course, I explain the Minutemen's intended actions in response to this crisis. Issue.

"I am going to find out who set off a nuclear weapon in the Commonwealth. In all honesty, I would personally like to be able to hold responsible anything that sets off one of these things in Earth's ecosystem. But I certainly can hold accountable anyone that uses one of these bombs in the Commonwealth.

"Internal to the Minutemen itself, I've started a few different things. I'm having our Colonel of Supplies reaccount for every MINI-NUKE we've taken into custody. I'm having the Yangtze, our Admiral's submarine, and her armaments accounted for. And I'll be having Fort Hagen Hangar go through the same process. While I'm talking about it: I should probably have Saugus Ironworks and Irish Pride undergo the same reaccounting the Castle's going through.

"To keep the process transparent, I have granted Ms. Wright of Publick Occurrences access to every and all investigations. She's aboard the Yangtze now.

"Now what this means for you. After she's through with our internal investigations, I expect her to publish a report on her findings. If it turns out that this wasn't a betrayal by some of my personnel/"

Hancock interrupted. "Rubbing out a bunch of those Gunner bastards isn't really a capital B betrayal, now is it? In fact, some could say that it's a Minuteman's duty to help win the war."

The General slapped the table. "I expressly ordered that there was never to be a detonation like the ones that destroyed the world. Am I understood, John?"

"Yes, ma'am.", the ghoul slid back in his chair.

"Now, as I was saying.", the General continued. "Either Ms. Wright will publish which of our stores were used to commit this crime and who was responsible at which point I will decide the perpetrators fate. Or she will publish a complete accountability clearing the Minutemen. If the latter happens, then I'll be depending on you."

"To do what?", Geneva asked.

"To use your local security forces to accommodate Ms. Wright as they conduct their own internal investigations. If Ms. Wright publicly clears a local security force, then the investigation should continue - locally - into the civilian populace. I will have these war criminals found."

"You can't expect to have a community's protectors turned on their residents.", Stockton objected.

"I expect a community's protectors to protect their communities.", the General countered. "If you have someone capable of committing such an act in your midst, I expect you to want to eliminate the threat. And handing them over to me...the Minutemen will do so.

"Otherwise, I would think that Bunker Hill has reason to be adverse to such an investigation. And the Commonwealth wouldn't be able to abide that. So the Minutemen itself would conduct a thorough if intrusive and destructive search of the entire community from the tip of the monument to the lowest cellar. Am I clear?"

"Crystal.", Stockton replied.

"Just in case, I think Ms. Wright will start with Bunker Hill. Fortunately due to the caravan trade, I'm certain you have detailed records on what has moved in and out of Bunker Hill. Having that in order will help your people show her that everything is above board.", the General warned.

"You shouldn't be coming down on us anyway.", Stockton protested. "The people with the most criminal reputation are the Triggermen."

"It wasn't us.", Trish dismissed.

Then she saw how everyone was looking at her. "Well, it wasn't!", she rasped.

"What possible caps could it put in our pocket? We were making good with the chems while the war was going on. Now we got the feds poking their nose in our business.

"On top of that, if you're going to treat us by our reputations then you need to keep the part that says we're about business. Letting off a nuke isn't our business, let alone good for business. We push chems and entertainment. Not weapons. Way too many people interested in the hard sell in weapons. We'll make our caps slow but steady instead.

"Besides, the only arms dealers I know are in Diamond City and Goodneighbor, not Vault 114."

Geneva immediately screeched out, "Arturo would never/"

Hancock raised his hands. "If anyone has been dumb enough to break into my warehouse - again - and for this, I'll throw them to Fahrenheit alright?"

The General rubbed her eyes. "Stop it. We're not going to be at each other's throats about this. That's why Ms. Wright's going to publicize each of the investigations after observing them herself. Independent journalist does investigative reporting equals we can trust the results, okay?"

"Ms. Wright isn't authorized entrance to the Institute.", G9-81 stated. "Therefore, she will not be observing any investigation we execute."

"Then I will.", the General told her. "Every community will be held to the same standards as any other. And no one is escaping accountability on this."

The CLEAN ROOM SUIT clad synth swayed in her chair. "Very well. The Institute will accept your personal oversight of our investigation. We do hope this meets your demands."

"Fine."

Avery raised her hand. "Captain. I've been told that there was a plume of smoke from the sky just before the mushroom clouds. You know who did this."

The council turned to the General.

"Really?", Geneva let slip.

Faraday slapped his face. "Those/"

"Hold that thought.", the General commanded. "We do not know that for certain. And instead of starting another shooting match, I would rather have our investigations complete before accusing them."

"Who?", Hancock asked, genuinely curious.

"Never you mind.", the General stated. "And if anyone here thinks there's some one to pin their own actions on, put it out of your mind. That's another reason I've granted Ms. Wright so much access. Access that will include working out of Minutemen offices in your communities if need be.

"So in short, let the Minutemen deal with outside entities just like we should. You worry about organizing your own people to prepare your own reports. That is all. Dismissed."


	83. Investigation - 3

1

"Director. We must get you to Dr. Volkert straight away." X6-88 stated.

The General stood in the Molecular Relay getting her bearings back. "Belay that, X6-88. I need to change and meet with the Directorate."

The synth shifted his head. "These instructions came from the Directorate. Particularly after the information G9-81 reported. You've been above ground and in the field for weeks. You came back not only in barely mobile power armor but dehydrated, suffering from malnutrition, and perhaps on the edge of delirium. The Directorate is prepared to meet with you after you are examined by Dr. Volkert and proven to not need at least one night of secure sleep to restore yourself.

"And I am not X6-88."

She regarded the synth who looked, sounded and moved exactly as she expected the one that had accompanied her on many Institute missions to move.

"That unit was declared missing in action after the incineration of Gunner Plaza."

"I didn't order that.", the General objected.

"Understood.", the synth responded. "However, that was out of an interest to not spend Institute resources on this war. Dr. Ayo authorized X6-88's attempted to assassinate Colonel Cypress."

"There were assets that I wasn't told about in Gunner Plaza as well?", the General surmised. "I'm going to see Dr. Ayo/"

"In the Directorate meeting after Dr. Volkert clears you.", the synth insisted.

"Am I the Director?", the General asked.

"Affirmative."

"And if I give you a direct order to allow me to call a Directorate meeting immediately without your or Dr. Volkert's interference, will you obey it?"

"Affirmative."

The General drew one of her pistols, the overpowered laser, and put it to the synth's head. "And what do you think about me blowing your brains out right here?"

"I believe it would be a waste of Institute resources. However, as the Director of the Institute made the decision to do so, I will abide by it. There may be some reason I have not computed to do so.", the synth assessed.

The General tucked the pistol back into her coat. "Fine. Dr. Volkert, a hot shower, a meal and then the Directorate."

2

"Where did that synth take my PIP-BOY, Dr.?", the Director asked.

"Probably the same place he took what passes for a uniform that you got from the Minutemen.", he answered.

"Hold out your right arm so I scan it.

"Everything will be returned, Director. I just wanted to test what you've been carrying for radiation contamination. Not only is topside very dangerous. But you, due to your unique origins, are the only full functioning example of pre-war humanity available. So in addition to your health and welfare, I could also be considered responsible for protecting a unique resource.

"The other arm please."

The Director scoffed. "I don't believe I look that different than other people, Dean."

"And I don't believe your phenotype really is.", Dr. Volkert replied. "In researching Sean's physiology for the synth program, we found that the real changes weren't really genetic but epigenetic. Like the ghoul condition: some people happened to have a lot of their junk DNA stop being merely junk when exposed to a significant amount of radiation and if enough of it is the development of brain structures or neurotransmitters in too high a concentration an onset of madness. Or the occasional Child of Atom marker."

"You mean how some of them seem to not only remain healthy in lethally hot environments, but could make you swear their hand was alight?", the Director asked.

"Their hand really isn't glowing.", Dr. Volkert stated. "It's that they've accumulated so many radioactive particles in their blood stream that there's a high enough concentration to affect the cones in your eye. It appears to be a glow, but the photons are released in your eye not their hand.

"But yes. Unlike the FEV virus that replaces functional DNA with other functional DNA, most of the survivors of humanity have been for lack of a better term 'naturally selected' for having the most radiation resistant epigenetic functions - the molecular machinery responsible for using only a subset of our entire DNA sequence.

"However, those adaptations do still show. Had you noticed any radiation symptoms from eating from ingesting pre-war foods? BLAMCO MAC & CHEESE/"

The Director nodded. "Of course. But that's to be taken for granted, they've been covered in fallout from the bombs."

"And you haven't noticed that no one else seems to show symptoms?", Dean asked. "That's because the humans that remain topside are literally better at passing the radioactivity than you are."

"Huh.", the Director mused.

"Anyway, I've completed my examination.", Dr. Volkert announced. "While I would say you're healthy enough, I'm sure your pre-war sensibilities may object. But your radiation content isn't remarkably different from anyone else here at the Institute. If you have any symptoms of pro-longed malnutrition or dehydration, I can't detect them. No germs that the Molecular Relay didn't cook out of you.

"I guess that I'm forced to clear you for duty."

3

The Director settled in at the head of the table. She was dressed in a CLEAN BLACK SUIT and showered to a level that was impossible back at the Castle.

Down the table were the usual department heads. Dr. Justin Ayo of the ever hopeful to be disbanded Synth Retention Beureu sat next to the Dr. Madison Li of Advanced Systems. Across from them were seated Allie Fillmore, Bioscience' Dr. Holdren and the head of Robotics.

"You can have this back.", Dr. Li said as she passed the PIP-BOY across the table to the Director.

"Am I supposed to thank you?", she asked.

"Well, it came in as clean as you are. So I suppose not.", Madison replied. "We thought it could be buggy since the chip that allows use of the Molecular Relay reported you were bogged down in the south eastern Commonwealth for quite some time, including a couple of days you didn't move more than a few meters. But everything appears to be in functioning order."

"Well, navigating behind enemy lines is tricky business.", the Director stated. "Sometimes avoiding the fights you need to to get to the fights you need to requires staying put."

Dr. Ayo objected. "We could have just used the Molecular Relay to put you where you intended to be."

"Which without knowing where that should be would have been entirely too reckless.", the Director corrected. "And yes, I am saying that despite avoiding telling you of my intentions so you wouldn't insist on supporting me with every synth under the sun.

"Either way, it's neither here nor there. The mission failed and the five synths I did bring along are all lost.

"What is under focus is the apparent nuclear attack on Gunner Plaza. I need the truth on this. Was it us?"

"No.", Dr. Fillmore stated immediately.

"Are you absolutely certain?", the Director questioned. "I have been expressing my views on repeating the mistake that turned my world into this world regularly and in front of large audiences. Don't cover for someone because you're afraid of what I'm going to do to them. If someone from the Institute is responsible, I need to show that. Otherwise, when it's found out that the Institute did this, we will lose any and all gains of peace or cooperation with the every facet of the Commonwealth. That includes the Minutemen who I've been building the capability of this entire time."

Dr. Fillmore nodded. "Allow me to clarify, Director. What I mean is that it's impossible. Every scrap of nuclear material that we obtained in enough quantity to cause an atomic energy explosion went directly into our reactor. Remember, we were scrounging for electricity from what remains of the surface power grid. Our previous military capabilities were offensively precise teleportation of laser armed machine troopers and a defense of effectively being shut off from the rest of the world. The closest we could come to a large explosion would be...oh, I don't know..."

"An overloaded FUSION CORE.", Madison supplied. "Besides, if we had such a weapon, wouldn't we have used it on the Brotherhood of Steel? We had to hack Liberty Prime to shoot down the Prydwyn with the Brotherhood's own nuclear weapon. Maybe you should remind your Minutemen of that if they begin to lose trust."

Dr. Ayo added, "Plus, my sources tell me that surviving eye witnesses state that the event was preceded by a plume of smoke from the sky. With the Molecular Relay, the Institute has abandoned local flight technology."

The Director nodded. "That brings me to two thoughts.

"The first is the reactor. We've revealed the existence of the new reactor to the surface in the speech Sean had me record, correct?"

Dr. Ayo nodded. "Fine. Dr. Fillmore, Dr. Li: can you generate a report that doesn't give away the capability of the previous reactor or at least the Institute's drain on it, yet shows that there was never material removed from it?"

Dr. Li folded her fingers.

Dr. Fillmore stated, "That's just an inventory report on the nuclear material. But anyone with a basic knowledge of applied thermonuclear energy reactions and marco scale quantum integrations could work out a theoretical maximal output."

"And that's why I'm wondering if it would reveal too much or it would beyond people on the surface to understand.", Madison mused.

"Don't underestimate people just because they were born on the surface.", the Director stated. "I would think that you of all people would realize that, Madison. Besides, I made it down here by getting a surface dweller to help hijack the Molecular Relay signal. But I need something for Piper Wright to publish. Get me something: and it has to make sense because one rumor from someone who knows better will shoot down the entire report.

"Onto the second issue.", the Director took a deep breath. "I am asking that Jack Cabot be granted permanent membership to the Institute. The man is clearly a genius and has made strides and discoveries in an entirely new field. I believe that his membership may require a redistribution of personnel to aid him in an entirely new department."

Dr. Holdren folded his arms. "Well, Dr. Cruz has worked out phenomenally. We're about to debut a new combat synth considering the sentience problem the recent Turing tests showed. Isabelle managed to not only strengthen a baseline synth frame to the might of power armor but also allow for anchors the biological components of a Mark III synth. It will be completely robotic for a combat chassy but still capable of the lifetime deep cover missions that have been assigned to Mark IIIs due to their indistinguishability from an actual person.

"What's Mr. Cabot's field of expertise?"

The Director grimaced. " _Dr._ Cabot works in xeno...xeno...xeno-mechanics? Xeno-engineering?

"Look, the man is pre-war. He got his Ph.D. maybe a century before I did. And before you start asking how that's possible since apparently Vault-Tech never screwed anyone over the same way twice and he wasn't in the cryo storage I was - recall the serum that's been distributed recently to strengthen and retard again in Institute members. Jack was the original producer.

"In recent days, he's been examining an alien spaceship for me."

"Bull.", Dr. Holdren surmised.

"Don't assume anything.", Dr. Ayo stated. "We've been observing Cabot House for decades. This...this explains entirely too much. Particularly the fact that the anti-aging serum came from somewhere since we didn't develop it ourselves and the Cabots...well, do not observably age without the ghoul condition."

"Then, if we are to believe that the Director has been going behind our backs and funneling the tools she's stolen to Dr. Cabot and not the Minutemen because he is examining an actual alien spaceship, the question becomes why was that decision made.", Dr. Li accused.

"Because the Institute is a bunch of cowards.", the Director stated.

"I agree.", Dr. Fillmore stated. "Maybe the rest of you don't notice because you get to be holed up in your own little projects. But whenever a serious problem develops with a system, people panic. I'm sure Dr. Volkert and everyone that has day to day operations knows it to be true. If the Director told us that aliens had landed and that's all she knew, we would have never shown our faces again and humanity would have died.

"Now, she's offering not only the existence of the craft and the craft itself but someone who can make sense out of it. We construct a single alien replica vehicle and we give humanity a shot again. And now that we've shown a vested interest in the Commonwealth, we are much more inclined to agree to do that. Isn't that what you were getting at, Director?"

The Director answered. "Well, I was thinking a space program using reverse engineered technology, so if that's what you mean by 'alien replica vehicle' then sure. But for humanity to be seen as anything approaching a worthwhile civilization and not just another ant hill or zebra herd, it's going to take being able to travel off the rock we were born on with attitude.

"Which means a space program to build and run whatever space ships the Institute can engineer. But that will need loads of support. Schools to educate a mid-tech skill workforce. Infrastructure to distribute resources from source to the project. The ability of the populace to provide those resources.

"And only now is the Institute ready to see that the Commonwealth's population is a worthwhile entity to invest in instead of divest of. So this is probably priority numero uno. And considering the level of technology Dr. Cabot has described to me I think it is, I don't think any scientist worth their degree is going to be hard to interest in working on this project.

"So, do we have a vote to invite Dr. Jack Cabot to the Institute?"

Nearly everyone else at the table called out "Seconded." at the same time.

The Director nodded. "So I guess he's voted in."


	84. Investigation - 4

"A leggy dame breezed into my office. But from the frown on her face and the weathered, leather coat that cried out too many close calls and hard scrapes, it was a cold wind. The broad sized me up, takin' in this old dog...or just biding her time until his smokes changed hands. Probably into hers - you gotta keep your eyes on the hands of a leggy dame."

Ellie Perkins turned away from her files back to Valentine. "Kill the noir, Nick.

"Hey, Piper."

"Hello, Ellie.", the reporter greeted. "You know, now that the Institute has surfaced, you can probably get repaired properly."

Nick continued working on his hand with a simple screwdriver. "Says you and your lady friend and my own assistant. But I'm still not trusting those Institute bastards further than I can throw them. Putting a rabid dog on a leash might show how tough you are but it doesn't do a thing to tame the dog.

"Is this just a social call, Ms. Wright?"

She shook her head. "Not this time. I actually came to bring you in on an investigation. Probably the most important one since Blue's baby."

"That cracked the Institute.", Valentine replied. "What could be big like that?"

"Blue has flipped ever since someone nuked Gunner Plaza. She's probably having flash backs or nightmares about the day she got her family to Vault 111. I don't know. But she did order that nothing nuclear every occur again on punishment of...probably her boot to someone's ass. Now she's on the war path to find out who did it.

"She's charged me with overseeing the various governments' self-monitoring. I've been to the Castle, the Yangtze, Irish Pride, Saugus, and Fort Hagen. Now, she has been grabbing up every scrap of nuclear explosive that she can find. But it's all accounted for. She literally has been just stockpiling MINI-NUKES just to make sure no one else has been using them. I just got through writing it up and Nat's publishing as we speak.

"But the local governments' investigations are...I suppose the polite phrase is ongoing.", Piper finished.

The synth nodded. "And they could use a kick in the pants. But since they're all government, the only people to keep them honest have to not be in government. So you come to me, an investigator with no ties to anyone."

The reporter bit her tongue. "Right. It makes sense, doesn't it. It's not the Minutemen, so it has to be someone else by definition. The most likely suspects are the people ruling the Commonwealth staring down the Gunners but with security forces that have been completely internalized to their plot of land. Sounds like one of the local governments got spooked."

"Well, you're a pushy broad.", Nick accounted. "You don't need me to help you poke your nose where people don't like it. And with our favorite vault dweller telling everyone that you're doing to looky-loo, there's no way to stop you.

"So you didn't come here for that."

Piper folded her arms. "It just doesn't smell right, Nick. Blue doesn't play around. She told everyone that nuclear weapons were flat out illegal - despite allowing the Triggermen chems and prostitution and gambling and a bunch of stuff that probably didn't fly before the Great War. Hell, it's still legal to keep a MISSILE in your house her in Diamond City itself and we have kids running around behind the wall. She's even let the post war religions like the Children of Atom and the Hubologists run rampant and they get into a lot more trouble than the Triggermen nowadays.

"Then there's how part of how she got the Admiral on her team was his holding her to a promise not to use his nuclear arsenal - which she hasn't. A nuclear blast threatened that, I'm sure.

"Plus, she was nearly comfortable with the amount of death she was accruing in the war. She put her men on permanent battle lines. She sent her friends, actual companion friends like MacCready and Curie, to the front. Hell, she tried to take out Cypress her own self. And never once even mentioned a nuclear option.

"If anyone in the Commonwealth did it, they'd have to know that Blue would come down on them like a ton of bricks. Who would sign up for that type of ass kicking? Vault 114 was making caps hand over fist with the chems from the war and their nigh monopoly. Hancock is one of her biggest allies. Geneva wouldn't even dream of cooking this up. Vault 88 hid behind their door before we were a nation so I don't think that they would do something different, and on top of that - wouldn't they have the same hangups as Blue about nuclear weapons?"

Nick's jaw motor visibly locked. "So what you're really saying is that your investigation is going to find nothing where Blue has you looking. So what needs to be done is some dirtier work that you are _not_ authorized for. Some hard questions are going to have to be asked of whoever the real villain is. And they're going to be big and bad enough to nuke the main hub and headquarters of the Gunners like checking off a box on their to do list."

Piper looked down. "Look, I know how heavy this can get. The paper's been doing great with exclusive access to the Castle and distribution on the caravans and provisioner lines, so I can really really afford you now. But still, I know it's a lot to ask."

Nick frowned. "What about the Railroad? You said you have gone to APC and naval headquarters. Has the intelligence branch proven their innocence?"

"Blue's investigating them personally. Preston tells me that there are provisions for declassifying an agent's identity. And if that agent has been declassified for wrongdoing, what can happen to them.", Piper answered. "Same thing with the Institute. Blue's doing them herself. Something to do with their surrender agreement to the Minutemen allowing for more privacy. But she didn't let them off the hook either."

"So there's no other options left.", Nick said. The synth got up from his desk and put on his hat.

"Ellie, I'm headed out on a case.

"So, Ms. Wright. Where do you suggest we pick up the trail?"

Piper remained seated. She mumbled to herself so that Ellie couldn't hear.

"Whaddayamean, the Brotherhood of Steel?", Nick exclaimed.

"The Railroad caught one of their knights or something, okay?", Piper said aloud. "They only lost their expeditionary force when they were blown out of the Commonwealth's skies. And they certainly have the technology to pull this off. So I say we start tracking down caravans that have come from that way and see how plausible it is."

"Ms. Perkins, you didn't hear any of that.", Nick commanded immediately. "As far as you know, I'm on another missing child case. Probably super mutants or raiders. I'll be back when I can be."

Piper softly smiled. "Thanks, Nick."


	85. Investigation - 5

1

"Are we ready to do this?", the General asked.

She stood before the door of Vault 75. The turrets (laser, shotgun, and even missile) stood as a backdrop. The Minuteman in power armor handed her a microphone attached to one of the ham radios that had been scavenged to coordinate her APC force. He then gave her a thumbs up.

"Captain Bridget of ex-Gunner occupied Vault 75.", she started. "This is the General of the Minutemen. The war between the Gunners and the Minutemen can be over. Or it can last until the end of time. If it does continue, allow me to explain how it will.

"None of you are leaving Vault 75. Ever. Not you, not your men, no one. Your only exit has more firepower pointed at it than is even polite. But considering how few Vault-Tec employees are among your number and that your band is made of mercenaries and not engineers, or hydroponics farmers, or even doctors I doubt you could even keep your door closed forever with no hope of resupply.

"The other option is that the war is over. All that is left to do is to discuss the terms of the Gunners' surrender. I would very much like to do that with you, someone who realizes how wasteful this conflict has been. If I must find someone else, I suppose I could find that person among the prisoners of war we've taken from Eastern and Western Highway Lines.

" Should you choose to talk to me, announce yourself in a manner that we can avoid annihilating you. We will then accept your unarmed and singular presence.

"Please respond. Over."

And with that, the General handed the microphone back to the Minuteman. He piloted his power armor to take up the radio and flee back to the lines of soldiers surrounding the turrets.

Minutes passed.

Eventually the door that could withstand point blank nuclear blasts retracted and rolled aside. On the other side, a single woman held a MISSILE LAUNCHER at the ready.

The General called out, "I'm certain that if you hand over the weapon, it will be easier to for the automated weapons to dismiss you as a threat."

The Gunner set down her launcher and called out. "Can you hear me from here?"

"Sure."

Bridget nodded. "So why do you think the war is over? It's not like you could _take_ this position."

"That has an answer and a question.", she replied.

"The answer is that Gunner Plaza has been nuked off the map. Both fronts of the war instantly collapsed without resupply and direction. The entirety of the Commonwealth is back under Minutemen control with the possible exception of Vault 95 and...well, yours.

"The question that goes along with it is thus: did the Gunners have nuclear capabilities?"

Captain Bridget sneered back audibly. "Gunner Plaza was incinerated and you're asking _us_ if _we_ had a nuclear weapon!"

"That I am.", the General assured. "Because if it was an accident and the perpetrators are at best dust, it robs me of the opportunity to provide justice to whomever would use one of those weapons again. But if that is the case, then I still have to know. The world needs for me to not do what I am going to do to someone innocent if the criminal is beyond my reach."

"The only way you're going to dispense anything is if you beat me to it.", the Gunner warned.

The General gestured around her. "I think I will. After all, I'm out here."

She snapped her fingers and the surrounding turrets focused on Bridget.

"And you're in there."

"They were my people and you're telling me they died in a fire they couldn't fight against!", the Gunner screamed.

She took a breath. Well, several actually. "Look, I need to... Let's cut a deal."

"You must have mistaken me for a used car salesman.", the General stated.

"What?"

"I am not in the business of deal making.", the General explained. "Neither am I looking for alliances, particularly with any entity that can raise a threat to the Commonwealth.

"There is a Japanese phrase - Asking politely only works when you have the upper hand. I am a general. Which means that I command forces to eliminate threats. So I will ask you politely. What are you?

"Or should some of my descendants come back and knock on this door in a thousand years and ask impolitely?"

Bridget pursed her lips. "Well, we ain't civilians."

2

The ability to turn nothing into something, scrap it into nothing and then rebuild it that the denizens of the Commonwealth regularly showed still amazed the General. Nearly the exact same setup from the ceremony before the adoption of the Commonwealth's constitution had sprung up in the Castle courtyard. There were a few extra places on stage and Diamond City Radio did not have a presence. But otherwise the same.

The General walked up to the podium. "Esteemed Colonels. Representatives of the people of the Commonwealth. And everyone listening at home. I am here today to announce what seems like the first good news in a long time. And while there are ongoing issues that I can assure everyone that I will get to the bottom of, I am not going to delay good news.

"The first. Three hours ago, Vault 95 reported in as Minutemen cleared. The complete disbandment of all Gunner units have been accounted. And the Minutemen are in possession of all previously Gunner held equipment, including remaining tank and assaultrons. This completes the terms demanded by the Minutemen of the surviving Gunner forces in their surrender. At noon today, the war will officially be entered into history as over and a thing of the past."

The audience of Commonwealth delegates actually cheered in unison for once. Preston attempted to contain his smile at the General, then noticed she was not containing hers. He shifted his head questioning her expression. The woman let out an exasperated sigh, pulled him from his seat and recreated one of the most famous pictures of the second world war - a sailor and a nurse, in the middle of a street celebrating all to themselves. When she let them take a breath, she warned him softly. "Don't expect a habit of it."

The General turned back to the microphone and spoke over the crowd. "I know at this time, I am supposed to lament the horrors of war. I am supposed to call for all people, everywhere to seek out and support peace at all costs.

"But we all know the event that ended this war. And what the necessary response in order to protect the Commonwealth from a repetition of that event may entail. And considering the publicly available, independent reports of the Minutemen's internal review as well as the increasingly completed local investigations, that response is becoming more and more likely. Even the complete cataloguing of the Gunner's previous abilities and equipment has not given up a culprit.

"Therefore, I am forced to introduce another colonel to our ranks."

Now clad in a COLONIAL DUSTER, Colonel Bridget walked out from the wall of the Castle and onto the stage.

The General softly clapped her hands until everyone else followed suit. "Colonel call-sign Bridget will be commanding the Minutemen's Marine Corps. This branch will be used for the most difficult tasks and only against threats to the Commonwealth. Let me reiterate, the people acting as Minutemen in an official capacity in communities and settlements are not members of this corp. They are only to be unleashed upon enemies of the Commonwealth as a whole and cannot interact with individual citizens in any official capacity. Hence, just as the Intelligence branch has its own regulations, so does the corps.

"While Colonel Bridget has approval over every individual that will serve under her command, so does the Colonel of Personnel, currently veteran Minutemen Preston Garvey. The role of shock troop requires a very particular type of individual. That does not excuse misbehavior, and every one of these individuals is documented and held accountable by the Minutemen through Colonel Garvey's office. Agregious criminals are banned from such service in any position within the Minutemen.

"Any questions?"

"Yeah, I gotta question.", Hancock called out. "Who the hell does she think she is that she can lead a shock troop division."

Colonel Bridget rolled up the sleeves on her duster and was immediately ordered to stand down by the General. "She has served as commanding officer of a mercenary outpost for a number of years. Also, I have witnessed her ability on the battlefield to lead a large unit through hostile territory with haste to secure objectives in the open."

Kessler stood up. "You've made it readily apparent that you're going to apprehend whomever launched on Gunner Plaza. Do you really think it's necessary to establish an entire mercenary unit to do so? I mean, we haven't even celebrated the defeat of the Gunners."

Bridget looked to the General. The woman gestured to the podium.

The colonel took up her place at the microphone. "The corps is a weapon to be wielded in defense of the Commonwealth, and not lightly nor on a whim. As previously stated, if this attack was done by a Commonwealth citizen then the corps would be forbidden by Minutemen regulation to interfere and any information regarding such a person would be passed on to the Minutemen units that could apprehend the...suspected criminal.

"Any mercenary aspect of the corps is merely symbolic, in a ceremonial single cap per annum retainer and any singular reward for valorous service also to be displayed in the corps headquarters at Vault 95. Its members are just as much standing duty Minutemen. Being stationed at Vault 95 is only to aid in the corps's responsibility to not interact with the Commonwealth's citizenry in an official Minutemen capacity.

"However. If this was an attack by an outside force, whether that is comprised of super mutants or a raider group that has gone absolutely rabid then hear this. The corps was not formed to be the accommodating, rush to help, friendly, neighborhood Minutemen that the Commonwealth's citizenry relies on on a daily basis.

"We send souls to the underworld. The corp that has been built is very good at that job but now will be acting with the full backing of the Minutemen.

"And whomever chose to recreate a taste of the Great War in the present should savor that taste. Because I do not believe that the phrase is 'The Devil provides'."


	86. Investigation - 6

"Am I supposed to feel good about this?", Longfellow asked.

Minutemen marines were tossing down sleeping bags around newly constructed fog condensors. The newfound civility between Acadia and the Institute had at least garnered the production of the machines that could clean the air to what counted as breathable in this apocalypse.

It was of course anticipated that the retarding of the spread of radiation on the island would antagonize the Children of the Atom. But it was not expected to be to the breaking point. Unfortunately, there was a lot of evidence it had. If it did, then certain measures became necessary. Hopefully, they would not need to be implemented after the Children's of Atom nuclear armed, nuclear submarine was securely in the hands of the Minutemen navy. If that submarine was no longer nuclear armed...well that's what the corps was for.

"You're supposed to feel like you can express your thoughts honestly in the settlement in your charge, Sheriff.", the General replied. "This was your land before the expansion of the fog condensors after all. It was your land before I even came to these shores."

"You never came here?", Longfellow asked. "I mean, ya know...before."

She crossed her arms. "Just because we had civilian air and rail service doesn't mean I've been everywhere. We had the infrastructure to travel all over the globe, sure. Enough of us made it to the moon for it to be a contentious issue even. But I hadn't crawled through every standing structure in the world before the apocalypse put me in a position to need to.

"Anyway, what's your real objections?"

Longfellow shrugged. "I don't really have any. I've walked along side you. I've seen you handle things.

"It's the other islanders. They're catching sight of the cranium tattoos that some of these marines have marked on them. It's suspicious."

"I didn't think I was hiding the fact that the corps was made primarily out of the mercenaries competent enough to have faced us and not have been killed.", the General explained.

"But it's not front page news on the Publick Occurrences either, is it?", Longfellow countered.

The woman frowned and narrowed her eyes. "You know, it kind of bothers me that it isn't. You'd think Piper would have called me out on this by now. She must be nose deep in something else to keep from writing about this."

The old man nodded along. "So you see why some of the islanders might be a tad jumpy. These people were such a threat that you asked for volunteers to serve under MacCready to hit 'em where it hurts. And now they're being strewn about like brahmin droppings."

The General took a moment to reply as Longfellow pulled out a bottle and took a hearty swig from it.

"Well first off, they won't have to see a face long enough to become familiar with it.", the General began. "Part of the makings of the corps was making it an externally facing force. The people here will head inland to the National Park's Visitor Center as their following marines roll in. And after the entire force is on the island, they'll head out of the settlements altogether on Nucleus.

"In fact, an orderly progression through the settlements will make stationing them around Acadia that much more acceptable. Heh. Imagine Acadia appreciating the Institute having a presence because of the ex-Gunners being stationed there.

"But the second point. What the islanders should be worried about is the Children of the Atom. I may have made the biggest mistake with them. At the time, it seemed reasonable to not start hostilities with them. So I let them keep a nuclear submarine and its fully armed ICBM. They didn't seem to have the codes to fire it, but I did and they have two hundred years on me.

"However, times change. The Minutemen's forces are much more well endowed. And many of the previous threats to the Commonwealth have been eliminated."

Longfellow wiped the remnants of his bottle slurping from his beard. "And what about the ones that haven't?"

"The settlements have their commands restored if not being fully repaired. Murkwater has a new sheriff, Sommerville has his family land back and Curie held Egret Tours throughout the entire war. The previously at war Minutemen are now in a standing protective position. And I left MacCready's promotion and unit intact so Preston can throw that at any fires that any APC unit needs back up on.", the General said.

"What concerns me is Colonel Bridget proving the worth of her corps. Both her and I know that it's going to take some battlefield success and loyalty for her and I to truly trust each other. But she does know the worth of proving oneself to an employer. Also, the previous to the war ending Minutemen outnumber her forces and are embedded around them in every settlement they get stationed in.

"So the real concern is in how to overrun an entrenched cult with possible mutated powers in their nuclear sub housing bunker."

At that moment, a woman in a COLONIAL DUSTER and wielding a MISSILE LAUNCHER walked up to the pair. "General, every corpsman that's made landfall's secure for the night. They're memorizing the paths to National Park's and will be ready to move out at sunrise."

"Bridget, why are you here?", Longfellow asked.

"Because the General told the corps to be here, prep to secure resources for and get ready to kill enemies of the Commonwealth. Sir.", Bridget nearly auto-replied.

"Wait a minute. Do I outrank him? And he's not a civvie, right?", she asked the General.

The woman nodded. "Technically, Colonel. He's not in your chain of command as both you and he technically answer directly to me but yes...colonels have a farther reach than sheriffs."

Bridget set down her weapon, placed her hat on it and stepped into Longfellow's face. "Well then. I'm giving you permission to speak freely, old man. If you have a question then now is the time. And if you've got something to say, I'd just love to hear it. And if you have something to prove - I'll be your Grognak."

"We don't operate that way, Colonel.", the General warned. "There's a reason why we have a Colonel of Personnel and things like that step very close to proving why he's useful."

The ex-Gunner shifted her eyes, but only her eyes, off Longfellow onto the General for a moment and shifted them back. "Then consider the last part belayed. Ma'am."

Longfellow did not budge. He took a swig of his bottle and then spoke. "You're a mercenary. Might be playing dress up as one of the captain's/"

"General to you, old man."

" _Captain's_ people from the mainland. But a gulper doesn't often change his color. Why should any of us trust you not to abandon or even turn against us if the pays' no good, the going gets tough or if the other side's payin' more?"

"If that's the case, then why aren't my men chewing through your settlement like locusts?", Bridget pointed out.

"But if you need a more vivid answer - the General and Cypress were both right.

"On one hand, the Gunners are raised and bred mercenaries. There's no other way for us be. We're killers and are going to keep right on being killers. Cypress was absolutely correct in that.

"In the other, the Commonwealth and the world itself can't grow into what it needs to be if everyone is at each other's throats all the time. Humanity needs to be unified. A bunch of different interests so violently set against each other that they require the services of mercenaries will eat away at us until nothing's left.

"That's why I left the war in the first place. Cypress wanted to go back to the old ways. I might not have if the General wasn't new, doing things in new ways. But she let in the Triggermen when she had the power to tell them to go stuff themselves. Hell, she probably could have hired us to do it...but that would have been that one job and that was it. Instead, I was waiting for both sides to be worn down to the point that the winning side would need us. Then we'd be part of the ruling party on our terms. A unified Commonwealth with only the usual external threats: super mutants, feral ghouls, monsters, etc.

"The Gunners collapsing after Gunner Plaza was nuked shouldn't have happened. And in case you're wondering, my corps will carefully explain that to whomever is responsible. But what is, is. The world must unite under the Minutemen. Maybe there won't be a need for the corps after it does. I'm not seeking recruits right now anyway. But if all I can do is fight then at least I can fight for something worthwhile. And after seeing everyone else' end goals, whether it's the Brotherhood's of Steel taking tech for just themselves or the Institute's shadiness, the only worthwhile one on the field is the General."

"Does that answer your question, old man? Or do I need to throw you in the ocean and find another sheriff?" Then Colonel Bridget raised her hand to the General. "Belay that ocean thing. We're all on the same side and playing...'nice'."


	87. Investigation - 7

The General sat in an APC. Across from her sat Colonel Bridget and Colonel Zao.

"You've seen the channels dug?", the General asked.

The ghoul nodded. "If there was environment remained to destroy, I may have protested this mission. But we are given the state of the world as it is. The concern becomes whether our hastily made canals will allow your new submarine to make open water before they erode and collapse. They will if we hurry."

Colonel Bridget asked, "What do you mean by 'hurry'?"

The ghoul shrugged. "Every tide that goes out will carry some of the canal structure with it. Too much goes out to sea and it will collapse. Their walls are only dirt and dug for this one time use."

"Which means we're going to have to seize this submarine from the Children of the Atom pronto.", the woman acknowledged.

The General appeared wary. "If you don't think you can do it, now is the very last chance to tell me."

Bridget gritted her teeth. "Oh, we can do it. My...concern is your concern about hurting the Children."

"Either they did not do anything to us. And I'm taking from them. Granted, it's an untold danger to the world. So I am resolved in placing that danger into the care of more responsible and knowledgeable people. But there is already enough injustice in that. There's no reason to compound it. And we're courting war with this action anyway.", the General explained.

"Or they've already shown how dedicated they are to the spread of their glow.", Bridget objected. "This cult spreads radiation and would gladly see us all poisoned, with tumors too big to lift. They've already attacked their neighbors on this island, sabotaging the fog collectors. And we're here to take one of the biggest sources of Atom's glow that they know. We're going to have to seize the submarine by force and face them, not on the battlefield but in the middle of the night, if we leave them alive."

The General turned to Zao. "The People's Republic had its own ways of preventing religions from getting out of hand. The Children of Atom is the type of problem that was meant to be prevented rather than solved."

"Fine.", the General conceded. "As soon as we're engaged this is more than likely to turn from a police action into full scale urban warfare in an enemy territory. But I've walked among them. I've...had one of their experiences. They aren't bad people. Well, maybe High Confessor Tektus."

"So it's just their leadership that's garbage?", Colonel Bridget reminisced. "I can relate.

"No offense. Ma'am. I had meant/"

The General held up her hand to interrupt. The other woman continued.

"But what about this? We run it like a kidnapping raid without the kidnapping."

The others turned to her. "What?"

"When Gunners would grab a person, and important part was grabbing them in a way that was useful. You could still get info out of them. You could still ransom them back. They basically had to be in tip top shape. So we had a step by step process to extract a target.

"So we do that to the whole base. On one hand, there's a lot more people to grab. But that's the only problem once the door's open.

"On the other hand: We've got numbers as well. And by taking the Nucleus, we don't even have to move them anywhere. My people have the skills to keep from harming non-combatants because of those kidnapping ops. We can take the place and keep any civvies heads down.

"The problem is that I don't see us not setting off hostilities. Because we're going have to shoot every combatant dead until we reach the target - that's how a kidnapping op tends to go. And if we use those protocols, the only way not to start a war is because we've killed off too many of their combatants."

The General frowned. "This is exactly what we used to have less than lethals for."

"I suppose a BASIC LASER PISTOL _can_ be less than lethal if the target is armored enough.", Bridget said. "But I wouldn't place a bet on that."

"I know what you mean.", the General agreed. "I tried to count on that once before. But the place I used it on was fully stocked with STIMPACKS and a robot to start the healing. While Grand Zealot Richter has his zealots marked up in graffiti tagged marine gear, the Children of Atom stockpile big yellow barrels of radiation - not medicine."

Zoa spoke. "But does not the Commonwealth produce. And are we not carrying stockpiles? And since the war with the Gunners has been won and we have not ordered a decrease in production..."

"I like what you're thinking, Admiral.", the General conceded.

Bridget nodded. "Alright, I think I get it. Me and my people grab every Gunner POWER ARMOR FRAME and Assaultron we brought up to form the front. We rush in. Civvies get tagged by the marines following behind us. The front uses basics to bring down these zealots one after another and sits on them. We stim 'em back to health. When the second string catches up, they truss them up with the civvies.

"We get light casualties on both sides by hitting heavy but soft. We take full control of the Nucleus. If you want to let these people live after the fact, you can diplomacy all you want - provided all their nuclear missiles haven't been fired. But most importantly, we get that submarine out of the hands of a community that isn't in the Commonwealth and can go over it with a fine tooth comb. To make sure that their missiles haven't been fired.

"Admiral?"

The ghoul nodded. "Once the base is secure and the bay is opened to water, I will bring my people in and take command of the submarine.

"However. I am only going to see to her seaworthiness at this point. We will be in hostile territory, even if every child said another thing. If she can even float on the surface at a single knot, I am taking her out to sea. And if she cannot, then I will only seek to do the repairs needed to move her. Once the nuclear reactor, missiles and anything else she might be carrying is out of the way of any...is it sabotage? Only then will I seek out the truths of any ICBM."

Bridget furrowed her brow. "ICBM?"

Zoa nodded. "Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile. It is what the Americans called their weapons. Each had the potential to deliver a payload of nuclear bombs in a cluster to any sky on the globe they were based on.

"And that why the examination is so important, as well as an understanding and for talk. Gunner Plaza does not appear to be the fault of these people given the information that has been given to me. Gunner Plaza was a single plume of smoke from the sky. Also, a single target was hit. If the Children of Atom had access to a pre-war American ICBM, then there should be wide spread damage. Another idea is that they used a smaller, more tactical missile. That would indeed have been a much more precise attack. And this boat could have been carrying either or both. We will not know until we find out."

Bridget asserted. "So your money is on somebody else."

Zoa remained silent.

"Just do your jobs.", the General ordered. "Zoa, get the submarine out of there. Bridget, if you can leave me someone to make peace with, it would be appreciated."


	88. Investigation - 8

According to Piper, the big kahuna was running business on Far Harbor - the Commonwealth's most far flung territory. Considering the heat that had been brought down elsewhere, Valentine could bet you bottle caps to billiard balls that was probably code for letting some of her newfound leg breakers slack in the leash.

"Oh, hey, Ms. Wright.", the caravan hand called out. Apparently Piper had become quite the newspaper mogul. This was not the first to recognize her by face. But she had said that her circulation had reached near total coverage of the Commonwealth now that we were not trying to kill each other off half as much as was fashionable back in my day.

She turned to the synth. "You're not that old, Nick."

"You wouldn't guess that from looking at him.", the caravan hand objected. And he was right. The only thing shiny about the cracked, gray mug and the mechanics staring back through the holes in it were the two glowing yellow eyes. "Why haven't you gotten fixed up by the Institute? They're members of the Commonwealth now."

"I'd wish to god that everyone would let me face my face on my own terms.", Nick replied. "Am I the only one that hasn't forgotten about the people they replaced? You'd think it would be obvious why I wouldn't want to go back under the screwdriver. It's not like I spend my time getting dolled up shaking my skirt at the Dugout Inn."

"Alright, Nick.", Piper chided. She tried to blow away any budding tension like she blew away the tired, stale smoke of the rank cigarettes found in the post-apocalyptic world we smoked. "Nobody's going to tinker with you."

"But you.", she turned back to the caravan. "You've been down to the Capital Wasteland."

"And back, finally and thankfully.", the man replied. "You say you want a story. Embed yourself on a trek of the no one's, no how's land in between the places that are still as hospitable as the Commonwealth is. The few of us that make it through end up trading our way across the wasteland for months or more to build up the strength just to make the return journey. Only reason to do it is when the market's completely dried up for what you got on your brahmin."

The synth shifted his hat. "So you have been down to the Brotherhood of Steel's territory."

The man shrugged. "It's not so much 'their' territory. Sure they're the biggest stick around. But the towns are very much on their own. They don't have the...the cohesiveness that the Minutemen bring to the 'wealth.

"But I suppose I've seen enough to answer simple enough questions. You know, guidebook stuff."

The woman nodded. "Sure, I get it. But what I'm looking for is confirmation of a very specific capability of the Brotherhood."

The caravan hand nodded and stared at the ground, like his shadow owed him something. "Not much they aren't capable of. Pre-war, the Captial Wasteland was just...well, the capital. Capital of the whole dang everything. The Brotherhood of Steel is set up in the military headquarters of the United States. They took the radiation out of the harbor. And rumor has it that they had a gigantic robot that could toss MINI-NUKES like you'd skip a rock."

Nick took the lead at that point. "So you can say with a straight face that the Brotherhood could nuke somebody if they wanted."

"If they wanted, they could drop it from the sky.", the man attested. "A few years back, maybe a decade, they beat back a group called the Enclave. They took their headquarters. And guess what that headquarters was called."

Piper shrugged. "What?"

"Edwards _Air_ Force Base.", the man said solemnly. "That's where that giant airship came from And all their vertibirds. If the Brotherhood wanted to make something happen, the could."

Then the man looked at the two suspiciously. "Why? What happened in the months that we were away?"


	89. Investigation - 9

"If you're going to hold us and then sit with us, you might as well say something." High Confessor Tektus stated.

He was seated across a spool serving as a table from the General...in Acadia. The General had stated that the closest to a neutral moderator she could present was DiMa - and then had him marched to Acadia for what she had claimed were "negotiations". The Nucleus was under the complete operational control of the newly minted Marine Corps, although gathering Minutemen were waiting to transition in. DiMa had simply sighed and lent his presence to the proceedings while an Institute member in a clean room suit monitored him with what had been assured to be only passive scanning equipment. The synths of Acadia were quite adamant about providing security instead of accepting the "kind offer" of support from their new "Institute friends".

"Well, as you know, your Zealots are being treated medically.", the General began. "Your brothers and sisters are being respected as civilians.

"And honestly, that's about it for now. But just for now. You see, I do need you for negotiating a settlement to the Commonwealth invading the Nucleus."

She frowned. "I'm not going to try to jazz up the language to make what just happened something it's not. I'm in the middle of figuring out who launched a nuclear attack on Commonwealth soil. The suspects are getting fewer in number as others are eliminated by inspection. So the Nucleus came up with the short straw: taking in the Gunners ex-pats as our marine corps meant I had the military might to see whatever I wanted and take whatever I wanted while the USS, soon to be CMS, Discovery made you the most credible suspect. And threat. Which meant occupying the submarine base you're using as your settlement and taking the submarine.

"I am not dumb enough to think that this is something we can brush aside. We'll never be able to go back to the detente that possessed the island for the previous time of your administration, High Confessor. So we can either go through our limited options now and select the ones either one of us can force...or I wait until my information comes in. That will allow me to lay all my cards on the table and we'll have the most possible options to choose from."

"A heretic's only option is being separated from the all consuming glow of Atom.", Tektus replied.

The General pointed at him. "You see...that's going to be a problem.

"First, I'm not going to get in a religious argument with you."

"As you shouldn't, as I alone am the word of Atom."

"Except I've quested with the Mother of Fog herself, myself. So a religious argument will just lead us in circles yelling that we both believe we're more right than the other.

"Secondly, as General of the Minutemen, I have a duty to protect the Commonwealth. That means its people. And their rights. So I'm trying my very best to not interfere with any religious viewpoints, whether they're traditional and based on the religions that I grew up with or Hubologists or the Children of the Atom or whatever the spin-off of yours is going to be called."

The man sitting across from her furrowed his brow. "Spin-off?"

The General nodded. "Oh yeah: I let Sister Aubert go after finding her. Now if I understand it right, the Children of Atom believe that the atoms that make up everything contain any number of possible worlds due to the difficulty of understanding their quantum states and await a Great Division to turn those atoms into the worlds they contain. Sister Aubert saw the empty space between atoms as a vast nothingness which led her into nihilism."

The Institute member spoke up. "That's ridiculous. First, quantum mechanical calculations are/"

"You're not their religion.", the General interrupted, holding a hand up. "You don't have their faith in their beliefs.

"Anyway. What this means for you and whomever chooses to be your follower is that I am forced to allow you your beliefs. It also means that I am forced to ensure that those beliefs do not become behaviors that trample the rights of others. So I am not opposed, in theory, to you choosing to stockpile radioactive material in the Nucleus and keep to yourselves. But after I've attacked you I have to believe that if I let you go and leave the Nucleus alone that you will see the Commonwealth at large as a threat. After all, we've proven it by invading you. Which means you have to eliminate us. Which then means you are a threat to us and I currently have the power to destroy you and a duty to destroy threats to the Commonwealth.

"You see my problem? I want to not start a war that no matter what I say will have religious lines thrown into it. On the other hand, I have to make sure you're not a threat to the Commonwealth. And that piece of information may be walking through the door now."

A Minuteman in the navy's USHANKA HAT approached the General. She handed over a note which the General read immediately.

Some of the tension she didn't know she was showing was released. "Congratulations High Confessor Tektus. Your ICBM is still in the tube and there isn't any evidence that you fired a nuclear missile on the Commonwealth. I get to talk to you about other options than just wiping you out."

"So please, present me with an alternative." The General crossed her legs and waited patiently for the man to propose an option.

Tektus did not. Either he realized that the only thing he could force was martyrdom or he was completely flummoxed. It may never be know.

"Then allow me to.", the General offered. "There was a time when Vault 114 was about to prove...troublesome. Instead they came to me with the intention to join fully in the Commonwealth as a participating community. Instead of a war with the dreaded 'Triggermen', the vault is home to some of the richest people in the Commonwealth. So one option I can offer is that, full participation: a seat on our council for a representative of the Nucleus' choice which guides Commonwealth policy, defense by the Minutemen, all the rights that go to Commonwealth citizens for your residents and local autonomy - even your Zealots will be released to form into local security. Granted their may be a heavy Minutemen presence to ensure that the new situation is secure. But the marine corps is not authorized to operate within Commonwealth communities and has no jurisdiction over Commonwealth citizens.

"Another option is to try to leave you be. I can't, really. I'll have to disarm your Zealots so that there are no more. But you'll be free to stockpile all the radioactive muck you want...provided it can be brought to you. I won't be able to let any of your people traips around Commonwealth territory. I expect I'll be able to pull out my troops if I can prove to the Council that we can maintain a cordon around the Nucleus and annihilate it whenever we like. But you may be able to remain autonomous as I long as no one else suspects you of anything else. Or believes you have a resource that the Commonwealth requires."

The General's WRAPPAROUND GOGGLES did not have to let her eyes do the talking.

Tektus nodded. "And if the Children of Atom accepted...becoming a community..."

"The Children of Atom are all over, I find.", the General stated. "The Nucleus would become a community. Anyone wishing to reside there would be up to the Nucleus to accept or not. Other Children of Atom...arrangements...would still be theirs to discuss, should one require attention."

"So Nucleus citizens then?", the High Confessor corrected.

"Sure."

"If the Nucleus was one of the Commonwealth communities, we would have no interference with proselytizing?"

"With words. Make no mistake - I abhor the idea of people being irradiated. But if I have to allow the voluntary behaviors you perform on yourselves and your radiation weapons to defend yourselves with, then I have to. Particularly while taking the stand I am on nuclear explosions. If another community wants to let you in and hear what you have to say, then fine. I'll even back your scrounging the land for barrels of radioactive waste if you want to bring all those back with you to the Nucleus. As I said before, freedom of religion is fine. Freedom of religion does not include you inflicting it on others. No destroying fog condensors or the like."

The man continued. "And when Atom returns in the Great Division? Will your government claim jurisdiction over which there is none and cannot be?"

The General sat back and shrugged. "I don't know what to say to that. Time will tell?

"Look, we both know that we're on thin ice here. It's easy to tell myself now that had it been you that launched on Gunner Plaza that I wouldn't have order my marines to kill you all. But I get to. I'd much rather be the General that's inclusive, that can offer instead of take. It's going to be years after what I've done for you to understand an equal footing in the Commonwealth should you become a community. But I will work towards that if you will."

Tektus stood. The General waved off the synths who came to reseat him. "Can I pray to Atom for guidance?"

The woman nodded. "Sure. And talk to your parishoners...constituents...people as well. Maybe they'd know whether they want to be a part of the Commonwealth or not. You'll remain occupied until I have an answer. I'll try to switch the killers you have looking over you with regular Minutemen, but no promises."


	90. Investigation - 10

"In the interest of finally...finally...uniting the Commonwealth, I introduce to you: Grand Inquisitor Tektus.", the General told the assembled council.

The representatives were a bit quieter than their past meetings. Even pensive. "And who is 'Grand Inquisitor Tektus'?", Hancock offered.

The General replied. "Tektus is a high ranking member of the church of the Children of the Atom. He's effectively the leader of a congregation."

"And how does this unify the Commonwealth?", Trish continued.

"His congregation lives at Nucleus, what was once a submarine base before the Great War. I believe any threat of his community has been removed. If the council can see the same, then the Nucleus may start the process of participating as a community in the Commonwealth. Given such a status as well as the additional room at the Nucleus, the various populations of the Children of Atom may all eventually reside there. Since the Hubologists have about the same population as Atom Cats Garage, I can envision them becoming part of the council as well. And with that, every community capable of abiding the Constitution and the rule of law in the Commonwealth will be part of the government - of the people, for the people.", the General surmised.

"So I'm not expecting you to hammer out an agreement with Tektus right now. I've brought him here to show that we are not the bad guys. So that he can meet you all and see that his community has similar interests and that the Commonwealth is not the Nucleus' enemy...anymore."

"What's that supposed to mean?", Old Man Stockton jumped on.

The General shifted in her seat. "The Minutemen may have forcibly seized the nuclear submarine U.S.S. Discovery and be currently occupying the Nucleus."

And that's when the table jumped into the usual commotion.

"We just ended the war with the Gunners and you started another?", Gineva cried out.

"I told you that I was going to get to the bottom of the investigation. And that's what I was doing.", the General defended herself.

Captain Avery jumped on that. "And did you? Because I don't see how you'd be inviting Tektus in if he did, even if you're willing to forgive all the damage his group has done to our fog condensers."

The General agreed to the point that she could. "Yes, the Nucleus has been cleared of launching the nuclear weapon that destroyed Gunner Plaza."

"Doesn't that shake out to square one?", Roxxy asked. "Won't this be a cat's cradle?"

"No, eliminating a suspect doesn't set our investigation back.", the General defended. "Every piece of information pushes out investigation forward."

Avery stated the obvious assessment. "Does it though? You've had Publick Occurrences clear your people, here at the Minutemen. You've demanded that we open our doors for the same inspection, clearing communities with even the reputation of Goodneighbor and Vault 114 and even the Institute. The end of the war and the acquisition of the marine corps allowed the clearance of the Gunners themselves. And now we've cleared the Children of Atom at the Nucleus.

"The other Children of Atom settlements don't even approach having the intact infrastructure to attempt something like this. The Hubologists are notoriously and single mindedly concerned only with their attempts to get off the planet, leaving no room to destroy this one. If any raider group did this, they wouldn't be random raiders - and besides, you've freed Nuka-World. Supermutants aren't smart enough to do this and why would they?

"Who's left? Honestly, no force in the Commonwealth is left that could have done this."

The captain and hence mayor of Far Harbor was interrupted. A Minuteman burst into the room. "Sorry, ma'am."

"With the council present, soldier?", the General objected. "Really?"

"Again, sorry General.", the Minutemen reiterated. "But Radio Freedom said that 'the tower warning triggered'. I asked him what that meant but he said to nevermind and burst into your meeting and tell you."

The General clenched her eyes shut. "Not now...alright. Did he say anything else?"

"Yes, General. He said that you'd be in the air in three minutes."

"Okay.", the General said mostly to herself. She took a deep breath. "Okay.

"You get back to Radio Freedom and see if he can get me an intercept point before I'm in the air."

"What's going on?", Hancock asked as the Minuteman left the room.

"The last group of people who could have done this nuclear strike may be doing so again.", the General spit out.

Just as the room started to panic, the General slammed her hand down on the desk again and again until the representatives were finally quiet.

"I don't have a lot of time to tell you it's okay. But I've tried my best to ensure that it is.

"After this incident, Colonel Brandis with the help of Radio Freedom have rigged the repeater antenna found across the Commonwealth into a kind of early warning system. If something violates Commonwealth airspace, or a big enough object with enough reflective properties comes close, then Radio Freedom gets a notice. This allows Colonel Brandis to put his new project to work under my authorization. Our vertibird fleet converges on me and I will fly out to face this threat head on as best I can.

"So I have to go. Now.

"That doesn't mean to disrespect Tektus' time here. He, and more importantly - his people, have a lot to offer their neighbors in the Commonwealth and deserve to enjoy the fruits of the same. My ensuring the safety that you, and his people should they join us, enjoy doesn't mean I am turning my back on this in any fashion.

"Sorry, I don't have any time. I have to go."


	91. Investigation - 11

1

"What are we dealing with pilot?", the General asked.

The sergeant (having the same rank as a commander of one of the APC crews) checked his instruments. "As far as I can figure, ma'am: it's a set of vertibirds. It's not like we have a real record of what could be in the air. But the radar signatures are about as loud as ours are. They seem to be travelling towards us at the same speed we are towards them. And it looks just like when we were training on the radar back when we had only our vertibirds to point at."

The highest ranking officer of this woman's Minutemen nodded in acknowledgement. "Tune the radio to the frequency it was when the vertibird was salvaged. Let's hope that's the original Brotherhood frequency."

Under her breath, the General added, "While we're hoping, let's hope their vertibird fleet went down with the Prydwyn."

"Comms set to frequency.", the pilot called out.

The General took up the microphone. "Vertibirds invading Commonwealth airspace. Land immediately. Repeat: to all vertibirds invading Commonwealth airspace. You are committing another act of war. Land immediately or you will be shot down by superior technology.

"Even if you cannot return this message, or are hailing back on another frequency, land immediately. All other courses of action will be met with your imminent destruction."

The General tapped the pilot. "No change, General. Breaching air craft staying on intercept course, no drop in altitude."

She shook her head. "Well, I warned them. Put me back on the other squadron's frequency. And remind me to thank Colonel Brandis for continuing his project while I was conducting the investigation.

"Beta squardron: buzz them, get out of weapons range, and then return to a circling ready pattern."

Twin glimmers of light fell from the sky with contrails whirling behind them. The General searched for their targets, only known by their radar blips, but could only follow the streaks of mist. Silently, the two dots swooped out of their dive and ran parallel to the horizon. The darker dots of the incoming vertibirds jumped into notice as they struggled through the resulting turbulence and possible nigh vacuum left in the wake of the lights. Only later, much later, did the General's vertibirds even pick up the sonic booms.

"Put me back on that Brotherhood of Steel channel.", the General ordered.

"Invading vertibirds: look alive. Those were two Stingray Deluxes, fully fueled obviously but more importantly for you fully armed. ArcJet was based in the Commonwealth before the war. We have a supply of aircraft that are more than five times faster than yours due to your crafts propellers and their scramjets, allowing them to leap into weapons range before you can respond as well as escape any possible response you have.

"If you do not land immediately, you will be shot down. Last chance."

The General and her pilot waited with baited breath as they continued on an intercept course with the apparent enemy.

"Acknowledged.", a familiar voice replied. "Setting down now."

"Pilot?", the General asked.

"Radar shows a decrease in both velocity and altitude.", he replied.

The General resettled into her seat. "Alright. Slow down yourself. I'm going to order in the Railroad's APC, and our squadrons to remain circling. After I'm on the ground, if it looks like you're going to have to refuel do so in shifts and beeline back here. And start having road crews converge on the location."

2

"I thought I told you that the amount of weapons you carried with you would be commismerate with the displeasure I felt.", the General reminded.

Behind her stood a Railroad heavy, a bound and hooded prisoner, and the Minutemen of a growing number of road crews. Above her circled only Minutemen air forces. In front of her stood four knights of the Brotherhood of Steel, guarding...

"I am Sentinel Danse, of the Brotherhood of Steel of the Capital Wasteland.", the soldier stated. "Identify yourself, civilian."

"You don't even know how annoying it is for you to presume everyone who isn't a member of your raider organization to be a civilian.", she replied.

"What? No.", Danse remembered. "It couldn't be/"

"Yes. I am the General of the Minutemen, defender of the representative government of the free and surviving people of the Commonwealth. And I'm glad I'm speaking to the Sentinel of the Brotherhood of Steel: because you will be authorizing the shut down of the threat to those people you create."

"What? We're no threat.", Danse objected. "We're the solution to man's hubris use of technology."

The General scoffed. "Really? The previous invading airship Prydwyn that I had to blow out of the sky?"

"You killed how many Brotherhood and call us a threat!", Danse objected.

"When they only came to raid technology and coerce food from the families that farmed it, I certainly will. We didn't come from my home and ride in on a war machine. We didn't steal food from the mouths of your babies."

Danse's exposed head wobbled in his power armor. "Elder Maxon's methods were a bit forceful."

"Elder Maxon was dead by my hand when you fired a nuclear weapon on the Commonwealth.", the General stated.

Danse stopped talking. "Wait. What?"

The General gestured. The Railroad heavy brought their prisoner forward and took off the hood but not the gag in their mouth, revealing her to be a captured Brotherhood knight.

Once she saw that Danse recognized the agent, the General continued. "We've captured Brotherhood of Steel agent scouting the Commonwealth for strategic targets. We've received the news from private journalists and travelers from the Capital wastes itself. Let alone all the available eye witness evidence.

"The Brotherhood of Steel lost its invasion force both times it attempted to infiltrate the Commonwealth: Brandis' unit as well as the Prydwyn. Frustrated with its thwarted attempts to conquer a free people and pillage yet another area, it waited for a chance at what a fascist like you would call revenge. You perceived that chance to had come when the Commonwealth was stuck in a civil war with its remaining domestic, human adversary. Informed by your scouting agent, you decided to make your move.

"You took the opportunity provided by Edwards Air Force Base which you've claimed from the Enclave so many years ago that the Prydwyn was constructed there. So you readied the most abhorrent weapon ever unleashed upon mankind and pointed it straight at us."

"I have no idea what you're talking about.", Danse interjected. "I'm in command of the Brotherhood of Steel now that you've killed Elder Madxen. I would know."

The General continued. "Every witness spoke of a plume of smoke from the sky right before the blast that obliterated Gunner Plaza. I suppose the Commonwealth is just lucky that Gunner Plaza is that much closer to the Capital Wastes than the Castle. And unlucky for you, the civilian government was left intact enough to ensure the sovereignty of the free people of the Commonwealth before your current invasion could be launched.

"But fortunately for the both of us, I'm going to offer you the opportunity to surrender your way out of yet another Brotherhood of Steel, fascism driven, quagmire."

Danse drew in a frustrated breath. "Look, civi...General. The Brotherhood of Steel has never launched a nuclear weapon. Ever. In its entire history."

"And Liberty Prime was not armed with any? That's why that robot did not use any nuclear shells in bringing down the Prydwyn when I hacked into it?"

"That's different.", Danse objected.

The General pursed her lips. "So your programming is that faulty. Fine."

Everyone standing around her was confused. But only for a moment.

The General called out. "Synth M7-97, shut down code omega 4 0 delta gamma."

And with that Danse fell silent.

The General stepped around the deactivated machine and the power armor it was draped in. "I guess that makes you guys in charge. For a little while anyway.

"Here's my terms. The Brotherhood of Steel has shown time and again that it doesn't deserve to rule anything. So it's not going to. You are hereby surrendering the entirety of the Capital Wastes to the Commonwealth, freeing her peoples and allowing them to take part in our representative government. You will take the supplies from your vertibirds and walk your power armors, crew, and soon-to-be released agent back to whatever the Brotherhood is using as its headquarters and inform them of this surrender, allowing them to choose between disbandment or exile. And it would please me greatly if such a corrupting influence in an already ruined world chose to disband instead of inflict itself on anyone ever again. However, we will be taking the vertibirds and" she knocks on the power armor 'Danse' is encased in "this one."

"Now here are my consequences. If you really didn't want to surrender. For choosing to continue hostilities, you all will be killed. Your vertibird crews and your colleagues and everyone. The Capital Wastes will not know I am coming until my forces ravage Edwards Air Force Base and every single Brotherhood of Steel stronghold there is, killing everyone you've ever known. I have fielded superior technology you could have anticipated but had no answer for in the form of the Stingrays. I can field technology you can't imagine with the Institute itself as a participating community in the government the Minutemen defend. And I promise that the first any of the Brotherhood in the Capital Wastes hear from me will be my ordering the synths embedded in your corrupt organization to start the killing from the inside.

"So do we have a deal and you take a hike? Or do I start the massacre and take everything over your dead bodies?"

Just then, another sonic boom from and overflying scramjet broke the would be silence. By then, a lot and this author does mean a _lot_ of Minutemen were aiming weapons at the very few Brotherhood knights.

"Ad Victorium!", one of the remaining called out.

"Belay that!", another dismissed before she could start shooting. "If we agree to this surrender, all my people get to leave alive?"

The General nodded. "You'll walk over to that building on the horizon. Your vertibirds will be stripped of what will help you on your walk back and delivered there. Then they become our vertibirds. And when we come to the Capital Wastes to take operational control, we won't find you there.

"Now get moving."

The knight gestured his squad and the agent fell in behind him on their long march home. The Minutemen could overhear the chatter coordinating the retreat. Once out of sight from the Brotherhood, the General fell to her knees in relief right in the middle of the marsh.


	92. Investigation - Last

Author's Note: My next 'chapter' will be responding to reviews and discussing where the story will go from here, should there be interest. Please review soon.

Weeks ago-

The General sat in a chair in Sentinal Sites missile silo. One of the five synths she had the Institute prepare for her touched her shoulder.

"We are ready to launch on your command.", it told her.

The General shook her head. "What have I forgotten?"

"Nothing.", the synth replied. "We even repaired the fuel injection system breach which would have totaled the rocket as we found it on the truck."

The remaining synths walked up one by one. "We are ready to la/"

"The Director claims to have forgotten something."

"But we repaired the/"

"I have informed her."

And then they frowned.

The General spoke on to herself.

"I've switched out my Pip-Boy with one from Vault 88. One of you Synths are outside of Vault 88 wearing it, being tracked by the Institute. Even if it's not real time, it will still trace my whereabouts to just behind the front lines on any internal log the Institute may have installed. And by switching it out, I have the full functionality of my own except a teleport back to the Institute.

"We didn't try to claim the XMB rocket that was in ArcJet proper. Brandis' men have been crawling all over that since the Institute's drones let it go. I've taken ours from the truck to the south of there (which we learned about from the records the Institute had taken before even the Brotherhood established their beach head in the Commonwealth at the police station), had you guys disassemble it, and we moved it here by a wagon we also built out of the dead trees of the wasteland. So even if someone could prove that it was an XMB rocket, that same someone will use it as proof that the nuclear strike didn't come from the Commonwealth.

"We're not only using the launching infrastructure present here, but we're also using a warhead from this facility. This keeps the Minutemen's stores intact. I can survive my own order to account for the weapons I've requisitioned across the Commonwealth.

"On top of that, by attacking Gunner Plaza from this location I'm using an attack vector that accuses the Brotherhood of Steel."

The General looked up to the synths that continued to await her commands. She took them as cues to explain.

"There's no way I can speed up the war with the Gunners. I've tried everything at my disposal: assassination teams, coordinated artillery, superior logistics, armor units, air units... Every day the fronts don't change, casualties mount. Every time Colonel Cypress pulls something, casualties mount. And if I don't win a decisive enough victory, Bridget might just rejoin the war effort on the side of the Gunners - it's not like Cypress will be able to turn her away when her troops are close in number to his.

"And as soon as we're both weak enough, neither the Minutemen or the Gunners will be able to repel an invasion from the Brotherhood of Steel. We'll need to face them one day - unlike the Institute and the Minutemen, they're still an enemy of the Commonwealth or at least a pillager. But with the amount of war and changes in the status quo that have happened since I've arrived in this time, the people will need a reason to enter into yet another war. Using them as a scapegoat for the nuclear strike which ends the conflict with the Gunners serves that purpose as well.

"I'll actually be able to use the nuclear strike itself as an excuse to put the final locks on the entirety of the Commonwealth. Every community will be forced to let me investigate it lest one of the others believes it capable of a nuclear strike from the sky, so I'll finally know everything. Everyone will back me in disrupting the truce that holds Far Harbor in favor of ruling the entire island. And with the Minutemen winning the war, Bridget will have to join her forces with mine because there won't be anyone else...or she can stay and rot down in Vault 75."

The General's tone changed from the 'laying out the facts' trial style she had been taught to a much more pleading tone.

"You have to understand: I'm sitting on an alien spaceship. And the little green man shot at me without so much as a thought: either he sees humans as wild animals or an active threat. Losing custody of that craft means losing everything. I need the Institute focused on figuring out a defense of mankind. And they'll need humanity in lockstep support of them to do it. Anything else means the actual end. Not just the apocalypse that I woke up to. But the total annihilation of the Earth.

"And it's not like I won't be doing anyone any good. The Institute will need skilled workers, which means setting up schools and forcing them to share their knowledge with mankind. People will be moved by the greatest threat of a common enemy to every exist. We're literally facing a galaxy that we don't know except for the fact that it's hostile. Our state of

War

Never

Ends

."

The General took one more breath. "I'm survivor of the most destructive war mankind has ever committed against itself with its most destructive weapons. And now I'm going to damn us to a future of only the same by using one of those weapons myself. Have I become the villain of my own story?"

"I don't believe that we can answer that objectively, Director.", one of the synths responded. "After all, you have warned us that you will have to destroy us so that our memories are unrecoverable in order to cover up the fact that you were the one to use a nuclear weapon.

"Which brings us back to the point: we're ready to launch."


	93. Author's Notes

First, about what was. Second, my responses. Third what may be.

What drove me to write this was the expert laying out of the world by Bethesda. Probably the supply route mechanic kicked it over. The idea that this world had a state and you could affect it was great. But then it conflicted by the typical videogame ending of "You've killed the threat so I guess we're done without any repairing.", like the U.S. in Afghanistan after the C.C.C.P. was kicked out...or Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, etc. etc.

Also, I've only played Fallout 4 and its DLC and Fallout 3 and _most_ of its DLC. I have not played Mothership Theta/Zeta whatever it is and don't forsee doing so. The same with Fallout 1, 2 & New Vegas. Well, maybe New Vegas in the far off future.

While thinking about the plot, I would often have the map of the game up or 'go visit' wherever I'm talking about at the time.

I anticipated the General doing what she did in chapter 92 as soon as I actually started thinking about how to 'win' the Gunner / Civil War, which was really when I was writing the end of setting up the government. Had the Gunners actually rushed the Minutemen, they probably could have taken more ground but would have been swept back as soon as they forced a critical mass of Minutemen into the same line. So instead the Gunners relied on what difficult minion NPCs end up doing so much in videogames - being entrenched. On the one hand, Minutemen often perform 'rescue ops' i.e. "My brother was taken by raiders / supermutants, help!" and sweep ups "These ghouls keep coming from the west." or "I know some people who would settle at X if it was safe.". On the other, Gunners were supposed to be the most intelligent non-plot foe of the game.

I actively tried not to 'make up' a character, and I usually don't for fan fiction. You're reading because you liked what was. But sometimes you don't get much to work with and you have to fill in.

By way of for example, the Triggermen are actually interested in profit more than violence and joining the Commonwealth instead of fighting the Minutemen gave them that profit. But they were quest NPCs not motivated characters. Expanding Trish from "I'm doing this deal" to "I'm a deal doer." is kind of what I'm talking about.

Cypress was nearly whole cloth and I don't think I stuck the landing. I really wanted him to be a worshipper of war. But keeping him on screen, particularly when the 'correct' move from his perspective is keeping Red-Eye on screen was difficult. And without time to develop his character, you end up with Venom from Sam Riami's Spider-man 3: something that would have worked if the rest of the piece allowed it to.

In a way, I kind of think of this as completed. The original question was "Can the General put the Commonwealth together as a functioning society?". The answer is a qualified, tenuous "Yes...but". Schools aren't built, no one's living in skyscrapers again but the entirety of the Commonwealth is 'united' or at least looks like it's unstoppably going to be. Where this could go from here, I'll talk about after my responses to reviews.

In a bit of self-promotion - My fic Shikabane Hime: Yori has more of this making difficult and arguably evil choices by way of arguably good motives. My fic Legend of Zelda: Summit of Peace has more of this 'what happens after the game ends'. Both are completed.

Absolute Configuration: Apparently my biggest fan?

Yes, I did seek to get into the nitty gritty of the logistics. It might be a bit...Michael Chriton, but some works should be. I get Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek can never be about the ship." - meaning that the story has to be about the characters, not their world. But only through the details can the concept that building pieces strewn about an apocalypse into a functioning world is hard work.

I'm kind of surprised I didn't check out some of the amazing mods and start including them in this work at times, let alone the DLCs. But I think that the Institute / Minutemen alliance holds up as long as each believes they have the upper hand. Until the cultures change, as long as the Minutemen believe the Institute is working for them (albeit secretively) and the Institute believe they are controlling the Minutemen the situation would hold...unless something seriously damaged one or the other and changed the situation on the ground.

What happened to the companions had 'already happened' by the time the story kicks off. So they're prety much 'where I left them' without explanation. I 'know' where Strong is, but it hasn't had a real reason to be a part of the story. And when it isn't needed, I don't usually tell so it comes off as more of a surprise (like the chemist from the Operators of Nuka-World) when it's revealed that they are a concern.

I don't think the General could concieve of ghouls as an issue for unification the way someone from the Jim Crow south would certainly view it. While the General lived in an America that villified the Chinese and communism in general, it was still a 'future' America. Fallout lives in juxtaposition: optimistic propaganda on destroyed buildings, classic Americana and the 'good ole days' mashed with survival concerns. One of the first things to strike me was when the Sole Survivor leaves the house for the vault, she passes an inter-racial lesbian couple that owns the bungalo next door and the game doesn't even mention it as it's a non-issue even while raving about 'the reds' no matter how irrelevant it is at the time.

One of the biggest advantages I threw the General's way was not exterminating the Railroad. I had done so on my playthrough. Keeping Deacon as an anonymous background body that was really active in the plot was another nod to the game, necessary to fan works IMHO.

I had not played the mission that the Mayor of Diamond City reveals himself to be a synth and tries to escape the Institute only to fall to all the people he abused for them.

The Atom Cats are so very Fallout: post apoctalyptic tech junkies with a culture of 50's beatnicks.

I never thought of the Brotherhood in the Capital Wastes as a threat to the unification of the Commonwealth...really. A threat of becoming the unifying force, sure. But the Brotherhood never comes off as wanting to be the central authority even if it wants to be the biggest bully. Like it would gladly kill off any other force trying to take over but never fulfil the role of government...like a Mexican drug cartel.

Hancock actually believes what he says. That ranges from a feudal meritocracy to a hyper libertarianism depending on the topic though...just like someone in Fallout should be. He really does believe that the government should serve the people, even if he believes that that government should be someone drug fueled enough to murder anyone who challenges his authority. Juxtapose his intoduction (a summary execution for defying an edict against extortion) and later casual speech with a random settler that's scared stiff of owing Hancock a few caps and he brushes it off. He wants people's lives to be free even at the point of a laser to their head.

Too often, characters act like they can't burnout and very few fictions get around that. Those that do should be applauded - Harry Potter having school breaks be relatively safe from Voldemort shennanigans, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. having their characters suffer burnout and PSTD except for Coulson who's personal super power is being able to keep his mind together no matter what, etc. Since the audience is playing Fallout for fun, it's easy to forget that the characters are struggling constantly without a break. Having even the General take maybe 12 hours off a month seemed to do the trick.

The start of the story was 'peaceful' (ahem, cough cough) because that's where the game ended. Everyone was waiting for the other shoe to drop after a faction wins. The General was just spending that quiet time trying to get out ahead of the inevitable next conflict. Hence at the time it appeared to be 'very little war', even though the story ended up becoming mostly that.

Now you know that Danse survived. Since I found the Brotherhood to be fascists (the only thing they seemed to be interested in was their own indoctrination telling them they had the right or even responsibility to opress), I hadn't played through a lot of their missions leaving Danse as just some Brotherhood guy in the Commonwealth that didn't really have spot once the Prydwyn sank.

The super mutants came out of no where because 1)the factions end up creating the same 'balancing act' that a working ecosystem has - predators eating prey but not too many at a time to wipe them out so that there always is prey, prey eating resources but not too many to end up dying of starvation when they run out. The Minutemen were focused elsewhere, the Brotherhood dead, the Institute in a holding pattern...so no check on supermutants trying to kill everyone. 2)I needed something to catch the General unawares since she was bouncing from completing one goal to the next.

I capitalize the names of items because it reminds me of the game. It's the same reason why Link doesn't ever get quoted as saying something in my fan-fic "Summit of Peace" - that's the game. In Fallout 4, random paper is just strewn about but as soon as you can interact with it it is a FOLDER.

Alien tech in the Institute's hands...I'll let this one lie for a bit more, okay?

It's very much the General's story, so things that other factions are doing without her aren't really a part of it unless they directly interfere with what she was doing. Hence the Triggermen of Cypress' counter attack, but not say...the Forged.

Minutemen ideals are basically egalitarian socialism, everyone deserves to be part of helping one another. Settlements and Preston nearly always talk in terms of 'we' when referring to each other. A synth programmed to obey that ideal is an oxymoron and therefore the Institute couldn't possibly manufacture synths and force them to obey the ideal of mutual equality. Fallout's juxtaposiion, remember? But also, the General realizes that she could lose support in the Institute if they spent too much on the Minutemen and didn't receive equivalent in return, which a ramp up of giving away synths would be.

I don't know if the Gunners were the 'ideal' villain, but they were certainly an obviously formidable one. They were entrenched in the Commonwealth while the Minutemen were reforming. They've had longer to stockpile and more opportunity to keep their stockpiles: of men and weapons. The real key was that they had just as much potential for organization as the Minutemen and therefore couldn't be just have individual sites 'go dark' without reprisal like raider gangs or the Forged.

The Sole Survivor's stats- In my playthrough, What Made Me S.P.E.C.I.A.L. was Luck then Agility then the health regen portions of Endurance. Pistols were early weapons so I made them as deadly as possible and only spent points on other necessary things like safes, computer hacking, and swimming. I tried to have that in the story by pointing out that she couldn't really carry much (because she lacks Strength), argues by just the facts instead of Charisma, and relying on others to convey information to her (a lack of Perception). My problem was that the story doesn't work if she isn't a lawyer and a soldier (and a schemer), so how can I skip on Intelligence?

The repetition of X6-88's duties was intentional. It was to tell that they hadn't changed and the title was just a label.

I did try to soften some of the General's edges. It's too easy to made a one dimensional hard-ass. And the General _does_ doubt herself. Wouldn't you if you lost your baby and spouse, particularly when survivor's guilt kicked in? Let alone when you find your child and he's twice your age? One of the best things for doubt isn't faith or even success, it's reassurance. And Piper's dialogue shows that she is in awe of the Sole Survivor, particularly romantically.

The other representatives _represent_ other interests. Those interests have to be as much if not more than a managed detail as any other thing the General deals with.

Bridget's run past the Minutemen was just long to write for me, so I split it up. The planning of it was the most specific thing I plotted out (so far), sitting in from the screen with the map open half the time and the other in gameplay, wondering where would the terrain drive the fighting and the pursuit and allow for pass bys or breaks in the line and how many casualties... Long story short, you should be able to walk that path in an unmodded game.

If the General wasn't fighting for stakes, I'd have to personalize her a lot more, wouldn't I? Just so it was important whether she had an apple or actually ate lunch.

Appropriate invitations are the main resource the Institute lacks now that its generator makes enough electricity. The Institute can train its own, but true genius comes from a number of factors and surviving the wasteland makes for a monstrous 'necessity is the mother of invention'.

You now see why I couldn't show the General's attempt at assassinating Cypress.

My chapters tend to cover only a single idea and a single writing session. My longest chapters are in "Shikabane Hime: Yori", but that was for theme in naming the chapters.

Yeah, what has happened with Cabot's family? You don't think the General and Jack's ghoul could possibly have kept him so buried in his work that those unproductive, needy, trouble causing fools died in the meantime and promptly never thought twice about it...do you?

Remember that Bridget is a mercenary. While even Machiavelli's "The Prince" points out that she is not to be relied upon, she can be trusted to...well, fight on someone else' behalf if it benefits her to the point that she can survive on it. Bridget viewed the Gunners fighting the Minutemen as generally unsurvivable - the war would kill any possible clientelle. Now the General has her in the position that as long as the Minutemen don't fall, Bridget will have a client that will support her fighting men and women. So while the Sole Survivor can't depend on Bridget to bail out her empire, she can trust Bridget to kill on her behalf...or kill her way out of captivity and poverty if not allowed to be a mercenary.

Samace - Thanks for the kind words.

RedSnow101 - Thanks for the kind words.

A Certain Fandom's Member - I write fan-fic in single drafts, no editing. It's a mess, I know. If I was doing this for loot or a grade, I'd go over it before posting. This is a symptom of just trying to get it out of my head and onto a medium.

TMDF-Artyom - I did not 'forget' the twin gun tanks. I wasn't aware of them. In compliments to Bethesda, there was so much in Fallout 4 that I didn't notice them when playing. Once aware, I worked them in where I could.

Doragon - The General wasn't so much looking for a 'rallying cry' for justice so out of the Turing testss. She was mostly trying to allay Commonwealth concerns about the Institute. And real reform is pretty much the best way to do that. Look at say...the Democratic Party in the United States and how its alleged supporters view it as corrupt, inept, etc. and how those same people (and more) look at Bernie Sanders who's faced arrest for defending these views for the past 40-50 years. The Democrats are now playing a game of "Our opponents are worse" while dismissing Sanders and people like him, yet not understanding why their supporters are becoming even more unsupportive. On the other hand, since science is the search, scientists often focus only on their search and not the empirical obvious morality of their actions that reflect in their reputations. So to get the Institute to genuinely reform, she had to 'prove' that they should - even if she only wanted them to reform out of a desire for governmental and societal stability.

The Sole Survivor isn't _quite_ morally grey. She's adamant in that society is everyone and that must return to a state that can defend itself. But that's like nearly all philisophically based moral systems - you choose an axiomatic value like 'truth' or 'altruism' or 'adherence' or 'responsibility' and everything from then on is a comparison to that value. Like the trolley problem - someone who values responsibility doesn't pull the lever to save five people because they would be committing an immoral act to kill one, an altruistic person would because it has the greatest result. Fortunately, people are beginning to find that we can achieve evidence based morality: a state of pain is worse than the same condition and a state of non-pain, cooperation is better than conflict, etc.

I do not linger on descriptions because it is fan fiction, you are correct in that. If you didn't already know Fallout or at least 4, you wouldn't be reading.

Asking the Institute to help with the Forged is just that, and the Sole Survivor didn't want to encourage the Institute to think of the Commonwealth as a wasteful burden. Also, in game she slips in and recovers people from the Forged but they always return due to their recruitment methods. Infiltration wouldn't work, or at least as well as total occupation.

At the end of the mission that introduces Vault 114 in game, it is still in Triggermen custody. So that's why the Minutemen weren't in it. But yes, I was trying to 'attack' the General in a specifically non-military way as she had just come off those exact victories. Think of the best Arnold Schwarzennegger movies: are they when some normal guy tries to beat him up, or when he's a machine attempting to understand or on Mars wondering if his memories are real? After shooting your way through the game, the Sole Survivor's problems have to be tactical not practical...if you get my meaning.

No way was the Institute going to give control of Synth Retention to the Railroad, or vice versa. Too much bad blood, too much waste of resources even if the Institute was going to disband the branch. However, the Institute did adopt an infiltration of the Railroad pogrom as soon as it was viable.

As for the exclamation of never allowing another nuclear blast - propaganda must be simple enough for stupid people to understand and repeated enough for intelligent people to stop contradicting it, and one of the first things propaganda needs to do is blame your enemies for your worst actions. With societal singularity as the goal, every other sovereign anything is an enemy...so they must be to blame for anything you wouldn't want people to know you're doing.

Preston has been a Minuteman until he was the last Minuteman. Even Shaw didn't stay in the force as long as he did. Garvey has backbone enough, IMHO.

Zarroc789 - If I change the characters, it's not worthwhile _fanfiction_ now is it? Like stories in the Teen Titans section where they aren't superheroes, don't have powers and are attending school with none of their forming events having happened to them: How is that Teen Titans? While a media switch, like from game to written form- if they stopped being a cartoon smashing bad guys and turned into a videogame, they'd still be about being teenage superheroes, right?

And everybody hates what the world has forced Marcy to become.

Shamwoohoo52 - I end up writing just to get ideas out of my head. I even have trouble writing once I 'know' the ending. But everyone wants to be...justified?

Kajeera - Deacon is rarely expected, even though he's regularly seen before he's introduced. Otherwise, the Lone Survivor really doesn't know the state of the new world. That helps the player immensely - what's new to her is new to us. But she does need a knowledge source and most libraries have been nuked in the Great War.

Patrollin'TheMojave - Thanks for the kind words.

Moonlight the Assassin - From the very limited sample size I've played, Fallouts tend to end with "and then the threat of these guys are over" with no real _fix_. Remember how Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time went "You stopped Ganon - The End."? You'd think a game with such a crafting system and intentional DLC would try for something after the 'bad guys' are shot. Particularly since it meets Achievers, Explorers, and Socializers (when you consider the modders and mod chasers) needs [on youtube Bartle's Taxonomy - What Type of Player are You? - Extra Credits).

Fuze - The difference between an armored personnel carrier, an infantry fighting vehicle, a mobile artillery vehicle, and a tank are too actually military for me to remember. I called them APCs because they have room in the back for a bunch of guys.

me - The operational submarine in Far Harbor was considered.

ro - Huh. Let me attempt a response. Just 'having a bunch of stuff made' would be the same 'magical improvement of the wasteland' that other stories try to skip over. It would lose its...not edge...grit? charm? If achieving tactical advantages didn't take time _and_ opportunity costs because of it (the General can get either A or B done in the next week but not both). Think of Firefly - would it have been what it's hailed for if the crew ever got really paid well and just vacationed for a couple episodes?

liberty prime - I considered using those rocket engines for chapter 92. But how to get them away from the robots determined to use them to get to the sea and attack a Chinese target...which they would then identify the Yangtze as if they were successful? And quietly as well?

general - I don't see how the Institute benefits from coming to the surface before testing an alien replica vehicle becomes viable. That's all I could really parse.

Guest(1) - I hope the reasoning behind whether DiMa was 'kept' dead or not and when is to your satisfaction.

My Readers Digest - I believe my save file with no mods and DLC is 27+ days of gameplay.

I also really liked how the negotiations with the Triggermen hyped up the negotiations with the Gunners.

I don't tackle "everything". Just like the General lamenting how she can't get a school up and running, I leave things unattended. The U.S.S. Constitution never made its way into relevance, the ghoul family after freeing their child from a refrigerator (with no food for 200 years but whatevers), the dog selling supermutant, protecting the Hubologists at Nuka-World from the Gunners...the ball was dropped many times.

Let me talk about the "fly on the Brotherhood's wall" in a moment.

PartyPat22 - My editing is non-existent.

Telling the Institue about Acadia could have brought the entire thing tumbling down. If the Institute had blown up at the General as her knowledge predates defeating the Brotherhood of Steel (and possibly being an Institute member), it would be perfectly understandable. I believe the game offers you the opportunity to sell out Acadia to the Institute. So pushing it in the General's favor and hiding it with the mental breakdown of the synth could look clumsy.

The Preston romance...youtube Jimquisition Fallout 4's S.P.E.C.I.A.L Relationships (with the requisite warnings). The Sole Survivor is polyamorous in the game and is one of the very few definite character traits of the character. But with the character having married, I felt it needed showing but addressing as well. So while it pigeonholes the character, it also personalizes the character? Degeneralizes her? By giving her a personal perspective on it. You get what I'm trying to say.

As to what's up in the Capital Wastes...allow me to address that in a moment.

Tuckerdoo - Revolutionaries tend to be expert guerilla fighters and terrible govenors. This is why the U.S.' Founding Fathers are referred to as such despite their slave holding, bickering, Aaron Burr's corruption, etc.: they actually managed both. The General's attempt to put society back on course is not only 'killing the disruptive parts' but judging how all the pieces fit. You see how if the Triggermen were kept in a state that could militarily defeat the Minutemen then it would be something she'd have to cope with.

And everybody hates Red-Eye, the character was expertly designed to be hatable. He isn't honest, honorable, talented or any quality you can really respect in a person despite being such a jerk.

Guest(2) - Hidden tyrant? I don't think she's ever hidden the amount of control she wants no matter hiding how she's going about getting it. But like Putin, she has an approval rating well over four out of five people. It's hard to call that 'tyranny'. Yet.

Guest(3) - Hopefully not.

darkpaladin89 - The story rests on appearing plausible given the game.

I don't think the nuking of Gunner Plaza could have been anticipated...unless you suspected there was a reason that the General stated the obvious in her declaration against nuclear weapons. Chekov's threat as it were.

Of all the solutions to Bridget and her people's existence, marine corps the least disruptive one to the Commonwealth. Remember that the Warring States period of Japan was followed by a generation of 10% of the population being unemployed soldiers. Experienced veterans with no other skills and no support doesn't make for stable, peaceful times.

"almost ready to bet on another plot twist" isn't really, is it?

And the point was to paint the Brotherhood into a corner in the public eye.

How could she possibly be found out? (I mean, I know of at least one way but...) As for the alien threat - I wouldn't want to be the person that announces 'Aliens are real' and follow it up with 'And we can't do jack nothing'. So unless forced into a corner, when at least a prototype of Cabot's work is ready.

scotsoe - The Constitution probably missed its window of relevance...but I don't know.

Guest(3)- The game actually has way more in its script than a novel.

And yes, I do believe people chasing down Fallout fanfiction online know about Fallout, and maybe even googled it before landing here. Every fiction assumes some commonality with concepts the reader's already faced: like how vampire stories explain their rules but don't have to explain that monsters exist and humanity's written about them or how The Walking Dead don't ever say 'zombie'.

R - Thanks for the kind words.

Ronin Kenshin - Thank you for the kind words.

Paladin Tyler - Not only have I yet to play New Vegas (or watch it), 2000 miles in Fallout's world is tremendous. Then add in trust, particularly between the Institute and outsiders: legacy can only go so far.

Xiard Vron - I totally get it. We all have our spot on the Kenseyian scale. But I too won't change my opinion of what FOX is doing with the X-Men franchise when they finally introduce Alpha Flight and therefore Northstar or Destiny to Mystique.

DragonsBC - "how is the 'General' protecting the depot of bombs hidden in the Glowing Sea?" LOL. I thought somebody had figured me out with that one.

I don't think you missed anything when DiMa was brought back a second time. The General's instruction to do so was passed over the table in a council meeting to Faraday (for him to do) in preparation for bringing the Institute to Acadia.

Paladin Bailey - "Well it's clearly not the Brotherhood"? Clearly?

But _should_ be executed by firing squad for their crimes...This implies that motives are irrelevent, authority too.

mistbornlax - Opportunity cost. When someone in Star Trek was asked about ship yards not being replicators - ~"If you could just replicate ships, you wouldn't have to."

Nuclear weapons destroy ecosystems that are DNA based. For nigh ever. You can walk through Hiroshima or Nagasaki _now_. I don't know if you can do the same at Bikini Attol. Also, we're still a single planet species in Fallout 4. Nukes are still serious even with videogame leniency.

Messenger777 - Let's assume you aren't a poe. Because it gives me the opportunity to address the religious subject in Fallout.

The Children of the Atom appear to worship power out of fear and hate fear so much they put on a facade. The Hubologists appear much more sincere in their faith since they don't have the immunities to radiation present in the Children of Atom community yet 'cleanse' themselves anyway and actually have an alien weapon. Even with their obvious parody of Scientology. The General's biggest problem is with a potential 'pope' situation. What happens when your citizens consider themselves religiously subservient to another sovereign? JFK defended it with the U.S.A.'s separation of church and state. Plenty of other Americans have struggled against that very separation in their desire to inflict their religion on others.

Since religion doesn't affect anything real and therefore what the General is trying to accomplish, she doesn't rock the boat away from religious freedom. On the other hand, Tektus was real close to becoming the pope problem.

Mandor - Feeling that you should lash out and particularly on bad actors happens. Actually doing so...especially when it would cost you not only in resources spent but in resources not gained? The General wouldn't have trusted Cypress - he's way too smart. Bridget's run may have been the biggest thing she's done in her life.

ThatGalladeAcrossTheStreet - That's kind of what I was going for.

Dinonut - More than DragonsBC?

dudedorey - I was thinking that this is kind of _a_ conclusion. The premise is whether or not the General could make the Commonwealth into something. There is a large element of "She did and this is what it cost her.". But I'll 'talk' about where this goes now.

AtomicGeneral25 - Discussion to come.

Guest(4) - You're not the first to say.

Guest(5) - Never assume an author's view matches a characters. The General was expressly attempting to secure power for herself and the subsequent government while not upsetting the people she needed to accept her rule. Claiming that this is _my_ view is as silly as claiming that the authors of Godzilla felt that Japanese buildings were best toppled or that James Cameron made Alien because he felt people were delicious.

Where we go from here.

At this point, the General is less suited to being the protagonist of a story. She's shown irreversably that she's willing to not stand by ideals or morals in search of a goal, which is the role of the villain. Hence, a change in protagonist seems to be in order - or at least to me.

Therefore, if this story were to continue, it would be the story of the Lone Wanderer attempting to defend the Capital Wastes from the invading warlord 'the General'. First, that's about where the plot left off with the Sole Survivor having minor concerns and full self-authorization and potential full support of the Commonwealth to take over the Capital Wastes 'from' the Brotherhood of Steel. Second, the Sole Survivor would not be a "I'm here to kill everything because that's what I do" villain, she'd be willing to negotiate & scheme & make herself appear right or kind or whatever it takes. A great villain isn't afraid to act or even be morally correct...should it meet their aims.

But from a different character's perspective, you see how this same story could take on an entirely different tone.

So if you feel that the story is done, let me know. If you want to see the continuation of the General's march to unify humanity enough to ensure a defense against aliens, let me know that as well.


	94. Rivet City Blues - 1

One dog is just warming up, two dogs are nearly ready to show but it takes me, Three Dog, to truly howl out loud in the wasteland!

News for the day - Rivet City has gone dark. Yes, all of Rivet City is locked up tight...or at least no news or free as the day it was made Aqua Fortis is coming out of there. Has the Rivet City guard finally run out of manpower to make deliveries? Or is this a push back against the Brotherhood of Steel making them do the leg work while they do the brain work? Back when Maxson was in the Capital Wastes you wouldn't think they'd dare but nowadays, you never know.

But more than me is curious about this circumstance, boys and girls. Ole Three Dog has been told to put the word out: If you see the Lone Wanderer, the Wasteland Superhero, this man's personal savior...let her know that the Brotherhood of Steel wants a word with her. She knows the place.

1

A svelte woman walked toward the guards at the gate to the Citadel. She held her mask in one hand and the other empty in the air. Those that recognized her knew what the Asian woman in a CHINESE STEALTH SUIT meant. But a lot of the experienced Brotherhood had gone to seek out technology in areas north of the Capital Wastes. The newer recruits couldn't be counted on to not be jumpy, even if they recognized her after the fact.

Which it seems they did. "It's you. Uh, just use the intercom. But you already knew that. Ma'am."

The Lone Wanderer did just that. Gaining clearance and the gate opening to allow her in, she walked through a hole torn through several layers of the building once known as the Pentagon. Inside the courtyard, she met up with a long time companion: Cross.

"Star Paladin.", the Lone Wanderer greeted.

"Acting Sentinel.", Cross corrected with a deep frown on her face. "Possibly elder if I can't convince Jameson in a day or two."

"What?", the vault dweller exclaimed.

"I know.", Cross admitted. "Let me take you down to the situation room. Then when you faint because of how bad it's gotten, you'll at least have a chair to fall back in."

The Lone Wanderer was taken underground to the conference room. Splayed out on the table were _hundreds_ of holotags. Holotags that had been used to identify Brotherhood of Steel members. Every single one meant another story with only one outcome, the death of a soldier in the wastelands. Scribe Elizabeth Jameson looked up when the two women entered the room. "I'd say we need your help. But the pile of metal on the table speaks for itself."

"What is going on?", the Lone Wanderer questioned. "Three Dog's going on and on about how Rivet City isn't. Then I get here and it's not Maxson or even Danse but Cross that's in command. What happened?"

Cross sighed...or at least as much as her cybernetic organs inside her power armor let her. "A warlord. A warlord happened. She goes by the name of 'the General'.

"I can only tell you what I know from our information.

"Elder Maxson had been determined to continue the Brotherhood of Steel's primary mission: securing dangerous technology so that it wouldn't put the survival of the human race in jeopardy like it did during the Great War. So after the Prydwyn showed her air worthiness, our best and brightest set out for one of the less hot areas north of here that we had been scouting for half a decade. They encountered a new threat - machines that were attempting to pass for human. The Brotherhood set up a base and set about making plans to combat this threat.

"Then, without warning, the General's militia apparently shot down the Prydwyn itself. It was a near total loss. Or at least according to Danse. Danse led the survivors he could back here to regroup into something that could search out any others. On foot."

The Lone Wanderer raised and eyebrow. "What do you mean, at least according to Danse. When Danse says, that's what happened."

"Probably because his cover was to do so and it was programmed into him.", Jameson answered. "It turns out that our beloved survivor was one of these synthetic people Maxson had aimed to combat. According to the survivors, he led their vertibirds straight into an ambush. When surrounded by the General's army, Danse was deactivated by an access code and the ranking officer had to capitulate to her militia operating here in the Capital Wastes."

"What qualified the survivors accounts?", the vault dweller asked.

"The General claimed that our forces had been infiltrated by synths for years.", Cross replied. "We're tied down trying to figure out how to test our own people for being inhuman.

"But that's not the only threat the General has posed to the Capital Wastes. As you may have heard, Rivet City has been taken."

"Three Dog is saying it went dark.", the honorary knight stated.

"Not, dark - taken.", Cross corrected. "The last Brotherhood patrol to make it back said that the mercenaries holding the access stairs claimed that we were in violation of terms. We sent another team to push through. Too often some raider gang sets themselves up on the steps and wants to charge a 'toll', so we clear them off. That team hasn't been heard from again."

The Lone Wanderer questioned, "You said that the knights that went with Danse 'capitulated'. How exactly?"

"They had to state that the General's forces could operate in the Capital Wastelands like ours do.", Jameson answered. "Or at least that's what I got out of it.

"Why? Do you think that has something to do with Rivet City? What do you know?"

"Only what I'm hearing from you." The Lone Wanderer thought a moment. "So you want me to find out what I can about Rivet City without putting more knights at risk?"

Cross qualified. "It's only because we'll need every knight we can for a push if Rivet City has to be taken back. We're mustering outside Project Purity."

"So if I get in, it's not going to be under your colors.", the woman clarified. "Hmm...Okay, I'm going to try to find out what's going on. But it's going to be my way and on my schedule. Can you hold back Brotherhood of Steel troops until I report back? I mean, for as long as it takes. Not days or weeks."

Cross sat back and folded her arms. "It's the decision an Elder should make." The cyborg stared at Scribe Jameson.

"The fighting men and women respect you way more than I, Cross. Such a hold order would mean way more from you than it would from me.", Elizabeth replied.

Cross scoffed. "Fine. _We_ agree to your terms. We'll try to scrape up something for you by the time you get back."


	95. Rivet City Blues - 2

The Lone Wanderer came down the steps carefully. "Reilly!", she called out.

The woman stepped right in front of spun up MINIGUN. "Brick!"

"Oh, sorry.", the man apologized. "You know, everyone else stomps in. You're the only one that sneaks in like a cat."

"Where's Reilly?", she interrupted. "It's about a job."

"Butcher and her are in her 'office'. Knock first.", Brick advised.

"And I did call out.", the Lone Wanderer reminded as she followed the hallway around to what served as Reilly's prep area.

Once she arrived, she was greeted by Reilly with a "Fancy seeing you back here."

"I have a job."

"For?", Butcher asked.

"Everyone.", the woman replied.

She held both Reilly's and Butcher's full attention. Reilly started. "There hasn't really been a job that needed all of us for years. Unless you call the hot mess that Vault 87 is."

"Nope. This calls for everybody. Charon, Fawkes, everybody.", she reiterated.

Butcher asked, "And who's picking up that many caps?"

"The Brotherhood of Steel."

And everyone sat back in their chairs. Reilly led with "What could possibly be so messed up that the Brotherhood of Steel would hire a mercenary outfit rather than use their own people? What exactly are you planning to drag us into?"

The Lone Wanderer attempted to explain. "You've heard Three Dog, right? Rivet City being dark? Well, they are not dark - they're occupied.

"If the Brotherhood moves in, it starts an automatic shooting war with a force large enough to hold the entire gangway to Rivet City. At least. They've lost at least one squad already.

"They want someone to look around under different colors. The Brotherhood needs to find out what they're up against before moving on it in force. So while they're gathering their forces at the Aqua Fortis plant in Jefferson Memorial, I'm coming to you for other colors. We head over to Rivet City as 'not Brotherhood', we poke our noses around and get the lay of the land, then report back and get paid."

Reilly objected. "And when the shooting starts? Do you think you can cut your way out of something as large as Rivet City? Or past who ever is occupying it?"

The Lone Wanderer shrugged. "I've done it before. But I would much rather have a well seasoned mercenary group at my back if things get hairy."

Reilly breathed in. "And the Brotherhood's willing to foot the bill for everyone?

"Alright. You bed down here. We'll get everyone back to base and then set out for Rivet City. I want everyone rested, watered and fed before we set out. No reason for anyone to act stupid that way."


	96. Rivet City Blues - 3

The entirety of Reilly's Rangers slowly trudged up towards Rivet City's entrance. The gangway still appeared intact. But they did see what the Brotherhood meant. There was much more activity around the stern half of the aircraft carrier than there had ever been before...or at least, after the war. Vertibirds flew over it and landed on its deck among the pre-war aircraft. Even on the approach, the added personnel was noticable.

Currently Reilly's Rangers roster consisted of a motley sort. Of course was Reilly herself, founder and leader of what was for lack of a better word the mercenary team. The Lone Wanderer still did not wear the green uniform and navy style body armor the rest did that was much more a single piece than the army style often found in the Commonwealth, still opting for her CHINESE STEALTH SUIT. Butcher was team medic and now more than engaged or married to Reilly without ever being either. Fawkes, a still intelligent super mutant the Lone Wanderer had collected on her travels, had joined the team after camping outside Underworld hadn't really become a home while his cognitive abilities not only made him an outcast but a morally indignant intruder to other super mutants. Donovan still served as the team's tech and repairman. Brick, while being merely a man, still carted around the same GATLING GUN as Fawkes did. And Charon, a heavily brainwashed and fairly large ghoul whose will was bound to an employment contract, had stayed with the unit ever since the Lone Wanderer had the idea that he could at least earn something for himself with his skills until they could figure out a way to have him outgrow his conditioning.

"So what do you want to do here?", Reilly asked. "I'm not saying we haven't made it out of some hairy spots before. And no one in the Capital Wastes would doubt you. But that looks like a whole lot of trouble."

The Lone Wander agreed. "Sure does. Let's try to keep things to just talk on our first approach."

Before they could walk all the way up to the gangway and put their plan into action, the occupying force responded. More uniformed soldiers than they could have brought themselves to expect poured off the construct that led to the ship proper. And that was just once the automated turrets started to respond. Before the Rangers could even draw properly, all noise was drowned out as not one but two vertibirds came in and circled over head menacingly - threatening to drop more troops if needed.

"Identify yourselves.", was the rather calm challenge from the occupying force.

Reilly stepped forward, her weapon at the combat ready but not exactly pointed at anyone. "You identify yourself. You're the new factor here."

The speaker for the occupiers nodded. "Fair enough. Commonwealth Marine Corps. Now you."

"What are you doing here?", Reilly continued.

Too many people on both sides started taking aim. "And now you!", the speaker exclaimed.

The Lone Wanderer took steps past Reilly and raised her arms. "Reilly's Rangers. We're a local exploratory team."

"You and that sword you're carrying need to back up.", the speaker commanded. Nearly everyone was pointing their weapons at someone now.

The Lone wandered nodded, bowed slightly and took a few steps back. "Look - maybe we could all start pointing weapons at the ground again? No one wants to be the one whose finger slips, right?"

The speaker considered the two vertibirds over head to the Commonwealth force' advantage. "Alright. You too."

She turned to Reilly. Reilly nodded and pointed her weapon to the dirt. One by one everyone else followed suit.

"Can we talk now?", the Lone Wanderer called out.

"I can hear you just fine.", the marine answered. "What's your team's mission?"

"No mission.", the Lone Wanderer lied.

"Really?", the marine nodded to the heavier weapons of the Rangers.

She nodded in agreement. "We're just coming off one. Like I said, we're explorers and mappers. Some times that means going where their are large concentrations of ghouls and supermutants."

"Then why come up on us?", the marine asked. "You must know a safer way considering..."

"You're the new thing here.", the Lone Wanderer countered. "What happened to Rivet City Security? Why are you occupying my home?"

"Home?"

"Yes.", she continued. "I have a room in the hotel here. That's why we were hoping to resupply here."

"Anyone else have a home here?", the marine asked.

Reilly looked to the Lone Wanderer. She shook her head: it would be too easy to catch that lie with evidence. "No, just me."

The marine stalled a moment. "Alright. You're gonna give me a few to call this in. We're gonna handle this proper. No one's standing between you and your house - yet. You or your buddies try something stupid, we're going to light things up like a rad storm."

"Talk to who you need to.", she replied.

The marine gestured with his head and one of his team raced back to the bridge.

"So why are you guys here?", Reilly called out.

The marine considered answering the question and then saw no harm in it. "We're on the front line of the Commonwealth's acceptance of Brotherhood of Steel's unconditional surrender. However, it turns out that the bastards are committing perfidy with no remorse whatsoever."

"Perfidy?", Brick asked.

Fawkes explained, "It means 'war crime', usually by claiming a protection then denying the rules of war. Can we assume in this instance you mean a false white flag?"

"Whoa.", the marine exclaimed. "Yours is way smarter than Strong. Every other word out of strong is 'milk' and whenever he's taken to a brahmin he looks at us like we're the stupid ones."

Reilly turned back to her group. "So if these guys are thinking like that, what does that mean? They have roots back to a pre-war military outfit?"

"Worse.", the Lone Wanderer stated. "They still have enough of an education system in place to learn the less immediate practices of war. These Commonwealth Marines are going to be serious business."

A lone figure in a leather duster strode from the bridge. She walked past the other marines and right up to the Lone Wanderer. "You're Reilly?"

The blonde woman spoke up. "Actually, that's me."

The newcomer looked at their relative uniforms. "So you're just team bad ass then? Still, you're the one with the house on board?"

"That's right.", the Lone Wanderer answered.

The newcomer nodded and folded her arms. "Alright, listen up.

"I'm Colonel Bridget, commander of the Commonwealth Marine Corps. Because the Brotherhood is a bunch of bitches, cowards, and liars; everything's messed up right now. Rivet City is still in operational oversight. What this means for you is that we're running everything for the time being. And we're not in the business of letting people in and out willy nilly.

"But we're also not trying to be the assholes here. My men haven't opened fire on you?"

Reilly shrugged. "It got close but no. No shots fired."

"Good.", Bridget acknowledged. "Look, we aren't really in the business of letting Rivet City citizens out and about without escort because we don't know what the Brotherhood might pull. But your girl here is a resident. And you guys are a mapping team?"

"That's right.", the Reilly confirmed.

"Here's what I can put on the table. You tell me something you like better if you can't swallow it.", Bridget told them.

"We'll let your girl come home - it's her home after all. Slick suit and sword and everything. Give her your caps if you're trying to resupply, she's gonna have to make any purchases on your behalf because I'm not stupid enough to let the entire merc outfit in under current conditions. Or let your team bad ass out of the sight of our corps except maybe in her own room. The rest of your crew can camp out here under our protection: some supermutants or the Brotherhood show up, let a body know.

"On the other hand, I'm sure the boss will want us to ask your girl some questions. Since your occupation is mapping, you must not mind answering questions if your backs get scratched."

The Lone Wanderer looked to Reilly.

"When do we get her back?", the blonde asked.

"That's all on her.", Bridget shot back. "The rest of the city is a bunch of civvies and the security team that...well, that was a mess we're still trying to fix. She doesn't draw on anyone, she can catch some z's, buy what you need and be back whens she wants. We'd just be...appreciative if she was conversational.

"And vice versa.", the colonel warned.

The Lone Wanderer pealed off her mask and shook out her hair. "Alright then, let's go."


	97. Rivet City Blues - 4

1

The Lone Wanderer tried to give the appearance of being more relaxed. She was showered and dressed in a VAULT 101 SUIT, with maybe some of the zipper and her boot laces undone. She leaned back in her bed with her back against the wall.

But preventing that was a red headed woman in a blue and more armored version of what the Colonel was wearing, sitting in the only chair of her small cabin. "NUKA QUANTUM or VIM GRAPE?", the other woman asked her while holding out two chilled bottles of the same.

"VIM?", the Lone Wanderer asked. "How...is that even possible?"

The red head chuckled. "It seems to take a while before someone from Rivet City believes the resources that the Commonwealth is willing to make available to its members. And now, that includes you.", she informed, pushing the VIM GRAPE into the other's hand.

"Me?", the Asian woman challenged.

The red head dismissed, "Everyone in the Capital Wastes, sentient enough to understand - ghouls, synth, the very unique supermutant or not."

"How's that?", the Lone Wanderer asked. She sat in a silence with the other woman for a breath. She pocketed the cap and took a sip of her soda.

"It doesn't spend like a Nuka's would.", the other woman warned.

The Lone Wanderer tried again. "How is it that you believe the Capital Wastes are under your control?"

"They're not.", the red head replied. She took a gulp of her own Quantum. "The Capital Wastes were annexed into the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is ruled by its own civilian government. Given...coming up with a few solutions to existing issues, I expect Rivet City to help in guiding that government by sending its own representative."

The Lone Wanderer raised an eyebrow.

The other woman nodded. "But the how: The Brotherhood of Steel invaded the Commonwealth. They intimidated our local farmers and coerced them for their livelihoods while stripping the land for every bit of technology they could find. Eventually, I was able to sink their flagship...airship...the Prydwyn after laying waste to the base they had established under it and that pushed them out of the Commonwealth. Despite us having no interaction after that except perhaps a caravan making its way from one to the other, the Brotherhood of Steel decided to use a nuclear weapon from the Great War to destroy a settlement in the Commonwealth."

"Why would the Brotherhood do _any_ of that?", the Lone Wander asked.

"To weaken us?", the red head supposed. "Spite? I'm through asking those questions. I started dealing with the results. When I found the force that was going to build the beach head for the second Brotherhood of Steel invasion, I forced it out of the sky."

The Lone Wanderer shook her head. "Elder Danse was on a rescue mission to find out what happened to/"

"An advance scout?", the red head surmised. She drunk a bit more of her soda, and motioned for her counterpart to do so as well.

"You know, I prefer the Quantum to this stuff.", the Lone Wanderer told her.

The red head switched with her. "I just thought since you hadn't had it before...", and took a swig. At the subtle flinch, she asked. "Are you a Vault dweller?"

"I live here.", the Lone Wanderer caught. "I grew up in a Vault."

"What number?"

"101. How could you tell? I thought the wasteland had caught up with me."

"That look when people drink and eat after each other despite the risk of disease.", the other woman answered. "I'm the same way as you. But fortunately, I've gotten the Commonwealth to the point where we have a back supply of ANTIBIOTICS. And bacteria really hates trying to grow in sugar and carbonic acid."

The Asian woman noted the education of the person she was talking with. "Who are you?"

"The General of the Minutemen.", was the short reply. "I'm actually a survivor of the Great War, cryogenically frozen in my Vault - 111. I was released a bit ago and eventually regrew the militia into the military that defends the Commonwealth - at the behest of its civilian government, of course - today."

"So, wait: how old are you?"

"How old are you?"

The Lone Wanderer nodded. "I left my vault at age nineteen in search of my father in 2277."

The General leaned forward conspiratorially. "Well, I don't think I looked a day older than two hundred and twenty-nine when I emerged from my vault in 2287.

"Anyway, back to your question. I mean, I don't want to think that I'm trying to fast talk you or anything. Elder Danse was caught at the beach head he was trying to establish. At the second attempt to invade, I forced him out of the sky and to surrender. After receiving the assurance that all Brotherhood controlled territory was conceded to the Commonwealth and that the Brotherhood of Steel was to be disbanded, I allowed every ex-member to go home to inform the other ex-members that their time oppressing people and killing others was over.

"Imagine my surprise when my people showed up here to restock Rivet City after Brotherhood pillaging and no one had informed the people of anything.", the General said dryly.

"The Brotherhood of Steel didn't rule the Capital Wastes.", the Lone Wanderer informed.

"Seeing the lack of infrastructure, concern for its citizenry, or anything beyond its own selfishness for technology and recruits, I can believe that it. The Brotherhood didn't even bother to govern let alone do so competently.", the General forced her words into the shape of an agreement.

"No.", the Lone Wanderer objected. "I mean, Scribe Rothschild never wanted the Brotherhood to control anything."

"Scribe Rothschild?", the General asked. "Does she live here as well?"

The younger woman shook her head. "She resides at the Citadel."

"Huh, where's that?"

"Um...well, you're pre-war. It was called the Pentagon back then."

The General spilled a bit of her half drunk soda. "The _Pentagon_ is the headquarters for the Brotherhood of Steel? Not just Edwards Air Force Base?"

"Yeah.", the Lone Wanderer agreed if not exactly understanding the importance of the General's inflection. "Wait, how do you know about Edwards Air Force Base?"

"That was where the Brotherhood launched their nuclear attack against us.", the General replied without blinking. "Did Rothschild order it?"

"No, Rothschild wouldn't do anything like that."

"Who would?", the General pressed. "Are you close to anyone else in their command?"

And at that point something smelled wrong to the Lone Wanderer. "No. I mean, I know Rothschild because she pays for books and I needed caps back in they day. You know how hard it is to find an unburned book."

The General smiled. "You're right about that. Back home, I've got fourteen issues of Astounding Tales and I remember that being everywhere back...well, before.

"Anyway, you were telling me of where else the Brotherhood of Steel was based out of."

The younger woman shook her head. "No, I don't think I was."

The red-head shifted her head, allowing the Lone Wanderer's reflection to slide along her WRAPAROUND GOGGLES. "Then what were we talking about?"

The Lone Wanderer shrugged. "How are the people of Rivet City getting clean water now what you've cut them off?"

"Cut them off?", the General scoffed. "Our first project here was to build them a copy of a design a young man from Diamond City came up with (at a cost our budget had to incur) to get a purifier for a town this size. Rivet City didn't even have a clean water supply until we built it."

"Project Purity was the water supply.", the Lone Wanderer objected. "My father _died_ to make clean water available to the Capital Wastes. It's at the Jefferson Memorial, which you can see since you have vertibirds. The Brotherhood of Steel distributed it freely."

The General sighed. "First, the Brotherhood of Steel is supposed to be disbanded. So even if they did have such, they should have handed it over to us. But as I told you, I had to disband the Brotherhood of Steel because it kept committing war crimes. Which leaves the Commonwealth to try to take on the responsibilities it never performed anyway. Now, I'm not doubting that the Brotherhood of Steel or its reactionaries or whomever have this Project Purity. But I swear, not one drop has been delivered to Rivet City since my people have gotten here.

"But that's what I have come to expect out of them. Holding onto something like fresh water just to be a bully and keeping the tech for themselves. The Commonwealth is bringing in foodstuffs from the farms that they tried to coerce, after all.

"Can I tell you something? Elder Danse...well, he was a machine. I know it's hard to believe, but have you ever heard of synths?"

The Lone Wanderer stared at the goggles of the General. After a moment, she nodded.

"You hesitated."

"Because I swore to someone not to tell how.", the Lone Wanderer replied.

The General sat back. "The Railroad. You've worked with them in the past."

The Lone Wanderer looked back at her.

The General shrugged. "Well, now they work for me.

"Anyway, the Brotherhood of Steel may be a truly intractable program. We don't know how many of its various ranks are made up of robots that just want to kill - innocents, other Brotherhood members, whoever. But with Elder Danse being one of them, we may have to accept that the Brotherhood of Steel is going to be much more dangerous to the Capital Wastes than we previously thought."

"And you believe you can take them out?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"I'm currently protecting Rivet City with a nuclear submarine."

It was the Lone Wanderer's turn to spill her soda. "I mean, I have other land, sea and air forces at our disposal as well. But it always seems like mentioning one of our nuclear submarines makes an impression."

"One of?"

"So don't you worry. We'll protect Rivet City and supply it directly until we can build a working economy, free from oppression, here in the Capital Wastes. Eventually, we'll make the Brotherhood of Steel a threat no more, despite them already agreeing not to be.

"It's the civilian problems that are becoming something. If you have any idea of how I can assure Rivet City's council that the Commonwealth only means them well as fellow citizens, let me know."

The General stood, pointing at the empty soda bottle. When the Lone Wanderer shook her head to mean that she did not need it, the General took it on her way out of her quarters. She told the guard outside, "She's a citizen of Rivet City. She can come and go as she likes."

The guard nodded and then shut the bulkhead.

2

"You're letting little Ms. Bad Ass go?", Colonel Bridget asked the General as they watched planes being taken for retrofitting or parts from the flight deck of the half an aircraft carrier Rivet City was built into.

"It's the only way I can disrupt the Brotherhood of Steel's ranks from the inside. If she believes that I'm here to help, the new recruits will scatter. And with the reminder that anyone can be a synth in the Brotherhood (since they don't have the Institute on their side), that should help bust them up too.", the General explained.

"And if she doesn't believe that we're here to help?", Bridget continued.

"She will when she's sent back here for more information and infiltration and sees that we're just bringing food, water, healthcare and commerce to Rivet City."

"What about her mercenary team?", the Colonel of the Marine Corps added.

"They're sell swords.", the General reminded. "I lose how many people trying to kill, how did you say, Little Ms. Badass? Then I lose how many people when they seek revenge for one of their own - not out of any great sense of empathy, but to keep the threat of their gang alive."

"I understand.", the ex Gunner admitted.

"Don't worry. After they report back to the Brotherhood that we have a superior military force with the intent to destroy them to their last, and that we don't believe any one who stands against isn't a robot they'll be sent right back here again. And then we'll buy them if it becomes necessarry, and have them all die under our banner trying to take _that_."

"That?"

"Project Purity. Either the Brotherhood of Steel would be left without a resource or Reilly's Rangers will be dead in a fight they can't win."


	98. Rivet City Blues - 5

1

"So that's what she told me.", the Lone Wanderer stated.

"Hold up, 101." Reilly tried to wrap her mind around what she just learned. "We're supposed to believe that the _Brotherhood of Steel_ launched a pre-war nuclear weapon from Edwards Air Force base - here in the Capital Wastes - and actually hit something in the Commonwealth. Is that even possible?"

101 considered that. The Rangers sat in a circle considering her over the make shift picnic they held with the supplies she brought out of Rivet City. The story was crazy. But so were this war lord's actions: she was even eating fresher food than she had in a long time due to the General bringing crop harvests from the Commonwealth.

"When I was in school, history showed that capabilities like that existed pre-war. Firing nukes long distances, even around the planet. It's how the world got blown up in the first place. And then, at Edwards, the Brotherhood had me call down a missile attack from a platform in outer space.", she explained.

Charon stared at her. "Where's outer space?"

The woman looked at him yet again in pity for his conditioning. "You know we breathe the air? That only goes so high up. After that is just nothing until you reach the next planet or star or something. So in that outer space, people used to fly things because there was no drag to slow them down and they would just go around the world forever."

Charon looked to Faukes. "Huh. Weird."

Faukes had no such sympathies. "Do you think she really believes this?", he asked in a booming supermutant voice. "Or is she simply claiming to in order to justify her actions?"

"When was the last warlord that claimed to be a servant?", the Lone Wanderer countered. "If the Commonwealth is actually run by a council of towns like she claims, then we are well and truly screwed."

"How's that?", Reilly asked. "We know she's in charge. We get her, this all scatters no matter how many of them there are."

"No, it won't.", the other woman told her. "If she's working for a civilian government despite being command of its forces, that means they're back to a system of checks and balances. She probably has a known successor that won't be anywhere near her except in the most secure of places. They may even expect her to step down after just time, and promote someone else to her place. And she has the support of multiple towns working directly for her. Imagine a Brotherhood of Steel that was also being fed by every town from Tenpenny Towers to the Republic of Dave."

"So what's our move?", Reilly asked.

"Well, as the Rangers, our client wanted us to find out what's going on.", 101 reminded. "So I'm going back in. I'll feel her out some more if she's still there and didn't just leave Bridget in charge. She should be since she's trying to coax the Rivet City Council into voluntarily joining the Commonwealth."

Butch objected. "Voluntarily? But she's got them locked down with troops."

"I know, right?", the Lone Wanderer surmised. "She says things like 'consent of the governed' and 'containing threats' in the same breath.

"Either way, I still have to back and change out of this vault suit and back into something that'll survive out here. I'll try to bring more supplies, even if it's just to show Rothschild when we report and get paid."

And with that the woman rolled over her back to her feet, brushed herself off and strode back to the gangway to Rivet City.

2

She walked into the museum, re-clad in her CHINESE STEALTH SUIT. The Lone Wanderer was certain that was why there were so many of the so-called Commonwealth Marines following her. It was in the Capital Preservation Society's museum that she found the General, standing next to a man fully covered in a bright white (even cleaner than a Vault's uniform inside a vault) suit holding a small weapon pointed at the displayed documents.

"What's going on?", the Lone Wanderer demanded as she stormed toward the General.

While the marines started readying their weapons, Abraham Washington stepped directly in her path. "The General is able to appreciate these artifacts better than any of us, as she comes to us from pre-war times. She was gracious enough to have her...Institute, was it? friend record them with his video camera."

The Lone Wanderer stopped in her tracks. She scoffed in Abraham's face. "She has a working video camera?"

"The Institute manufacturers them.", the General called out without turning away from the displayed documents. She acted as if she could not take her eyes off them. "They are very reluctant to share their technical ability. However, I was able to convince them of the value of recreating a record of these documents even though it's just for historical purposes at this point.

"Please excuse us, V8-22."

The 'man' in the 'suit' nodded and quietly walked a considerable distance away.

"I apologize if it appeared that we were doing something harmful.", the General said while still facing the papers adorning the wall.

The Lone Wanderer looked back to the marines, who still held a number of what she thought were laser rifles pointed at her. But those too were in pristine condition. A wave of the General's hand and the weapons were lowered. They did not leave, however.

"And that's important to you?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"How do you say, 'Harrumph'.", the General replied. "You want to pass that question off as if asking soley about the paper on the wall. What you mean for me to hear is the question on whether or not causing harm is important. You know that the real question is about the appearance: actually asking if I'm just putting on a show.

"I'm beginning to believe that I've had a better education than you, despite your Vault-Tec curriculum."

"I passed my G.O.A.T.s with nearly any job I wanted available."

"I have Ph.D. in law.", the General confirmed.

"The Constitution. I have no reason to doubt that that is the original. I once saw it when visiting the capitol as a child. But it was under so much of a safe that the bullet proof, laser defracting glass was so thick that it took using it as a lens to create the optical illusion that its armor was only a few inches thick. But I suppose a nuclear bomb would have shaved some of that armor off. Hence, it's presence here.

"But that's the original. Our country...my country, changed it so many times. Not just the Bill of Rights but so many other ammendments: Prohibition and its repeal, when to elect officials...But the most important, I feel, is the ban on slavery.

"Tell me. Are there slavers in the Capitol Wastes?"

The Lone Wanderer shifted on her feet. "Paradise Falls."

"Eulogy Jones.", the General snapped. "I will not blame a place for the actions of people."

The other woman turned to her.

At this, the General finally faced her. "When I left my vault, it was because my only son had been kidnapped and my husband shot. The thing that buffered my mind against the horror of this apocalyptic world was a _deeply_ rooted need for revenge and a _desparate_ need to rescue my child. Three raider gangs saw what I could do and offered me an ever growing army to shove down the throats of the people who had taken my son. My son!

"And they were slavers. But I was there. And now there are no longer Operators or Disciples or Pack, only dead raiders. There are no slaves. What is left is a free settlement of Nuka World. It's probably going to make full fledged community in the Commonwealth even before my home of Sanctuary Hills.

"I understand that you don't know how to deal with me. You were raised in what I would think of as a small but you would think of as a thriving community. There was a semblance of order and everyone outside your vault was a horror. One of the Commonwealth's communities is Vault 81. They were the same way. But I Am. Not. From. Here. I'm not born of these raider packs and people from each other behind walls.

"And I won't have it. This world is destroyed, by the mistakes of mankind and by people like the Brotherhood of Steel. And with their surrender, they are just another raider gang. And with the Capitol Wastes now being Commonwealth territory, I will do every thing I can to free its peoples from such a threat.

"What confuses me is you."

The Lone Wanderer shook her head. "Me?"

"Dr. Madison Lee worked with your father on Project Purity."

The woman demanded, "How do you know that?"

The General took in a breath. "I'm not at liberty to say. As I've said before, I'm not in charge. What I do know is that Madison left because the Brotherhood of Steel was, and by all accounts still is, using Project Purity as a weapon of war not a tool of repairing the world. And even then, it was after the Brotherhood had abandoned the scientists working on it until it became a target of their enemy...this Enclave?

"What is going on in Rivet City? Is it like this all over the Capitol Wastes? Has that tape jockey Three Dog some kind of subliminal tech that doesn't allow people to see the Brotherhood of Steel for the fascist cartel that they are? Because if I can't convince you, someone who has lost everything to the Brotherhood of Steel and has still served them to the point of becoming one of their Knights, then how can I convince the rest of the population?"

The Lone Wanderer replied. "They've spoken with their actions. You've taken over a city and told me that it's freedom."

A silence hung in the air.

For some time.

"You're free to leave. I see you've packed for it, Lone Wanderer.", the General stated.

"Am I also free to stay?", she asked.

The General smirked. "Please."

"Well.", the Lone Wanderer decided. "Reilly's waiting on these supplies, so I guess I should push on out."


	99. Chess on the Map - 1

1

"I promise you.", Scribe Jameson repeated. "The Brotherhood of Steel has _never_ launched a nuclear missile at _any_ target in the Commonwealth."

The Lone Wanderer stood between the two tables in the conference room in the Citadel. Her flailing arms threw large shadows on the walls from the lamps at her back. "Well, the General of the Minutemen and the various armies at her command certainly believe you did. They're even proud of how much evidence has been provided to an independent journalist."

Sentinel Cross picked up the stack of papers announcing themselves as Publick Occurences. "This is not a newspaper."

"And this isn't the Pentagon, and you're not the army.", the Lone Wanderer responded. "But the General's men themselves told me that Ms. Wright has been writing facts for years."

Scribe Jameson spoke up. "What about our missing team sent to retake the gangway."

"Are you familiar with the term 'perfidy'?", the standing woman replied.

Most of the elder Brotherhood members looked down.

"So I guess you do.", she continued. "The General is holding the position that the Brotherhood even existing after surrendering to her in the Commonwealth with the condition of disbanding is a war crime. Her 'Colonel of Marines' Bridget has been instructed to treat anyone sporting BOS colors as a terrorist."

"Who is this Bridget? The General's second.", Cross asked.

"You need to stop asking about individual people.", the Lone Wanderer stated. "The Commonwealth and its Minutemen are too big. They have a civilian government where cities send representatives. The General's forces are so large that her colonels serve by category, not command. And then on top of that, they have separate settlements stretched where ever people can settle.

"And they know it. They've been delivering rations door to door in Rivet City ever since they say _you_ cut them off. But they've also been trying to talk to the Rivet City Council about how to repair the market after people go a while not buying food or water due to the curfew."

Jameson harped on that. "Curfew?"

Finally the Lone Wanderer took a seat. "Bannon is thinking the same thing you are. That the Minutemen are just a trumped up raider gang and the Brotherhood of Steel will liberate them at any moment. Lana Danvers isn't so confident considering you needed her people to move Aqua Fortis to begin with. By the way, every member of Rivet City Security is under house arrest until the council holds and election for their seats with everyone who runs giving the campaign promise to sign the Commonwealth constitution, then doing so."

"You were instructed/"

The Lone Wanderer gave Scribe Jameson a hard gazed that Cross knew all too well.

Jameson corrected herself. "Requested. to gather information on this threat. So? Can the Brotherhood of Steel take them and set Rivet City back to normal?"

"Depends on how much they're bluffing.", the Lone Wanderer pointed out. "Brandis' and Maxson's and Danse' people that have gone to the Commonwealth have all been crushed with some few of Danse' surviving the trip back home. On the other hand, with the Outcasts having been...what was the term you were using?"

"Reconciled at the direction of the Maxson line heir.", Star Paladin Casadin answered.

She continued. "You now have the Outcast Outpost, Fort Independence, Edwards Air Force Base, the Pentagon, Project Purity and everyone who is still in the field taking on what remains of the frankensteins. If the General was nothing but hot air about her nuclear submarine support, then sure. And considering the power armor advantage, casualties will only be crippling instead of pyrrhic. If she's not, and this is just their opening salvo to make good on her threat to take over the entire Capital Wastes, then you need to get ready for that. It's not a fight I can just win for you."

"What can you do for us, Honorary Knight.", Cross reminded her of the title.

The Lone Wanderer huffed and puffed. "I may have an idea. Or two. But it will take some convincing and keeping Reilly's people in caps."

2

The Castle was much farther away from Rivet City than the Citadel was. However, the General had open water to travel across and vehicles instead of Reilly's Rangers boots. So she got to see Preston's mixed emotions first hand once she made it back to her office to meet with her Colonels.

"You left Bridget in charge?", he exclaimed. "I'm glad you're back, ma'am. But really, the ex-Gunner?"

"Do you object to me leaving the ex-Brotherhood of Steel Member in charge of Fort Hagen as well?", the woman countered. "After all, that's who were going to end up fighting."

Shaw scoffed. "I knew one of your surrenders wouldn't turn out all SUGAR BOMBS and tarberries."

"I ended armed conflicts with the Children of the Atom, the Gunners and the Triggermen with those surrenders.", the General defended. "Who knew that a group that claims so much military pride and a tradition from the armed forces I served in would commit such...perfidy as to not honor that."

"If you keep going like this, it'll mean war. Some more.", the ASSAULT GAS-MASK clad Desdemona warned.

The General folded her arms and nodded. "But it'll be a foreign war. As long as we strike fast enough to prevent another nuclear strike, we can keep the civilian populace safe. Or at least, wasteland safe.

"Dammit! Every time I want to turn to infrastructure, there's another threat keeping me from doing so."

"Well, at least the civilian government's on your side.", Preston told her.

The General regarded him. "Really? They are as war weary as we are?"

"They haven't been fighting it. For once.", Preston reminded. "Besides, they don't want to be nuked any more than anyone else."

The General qualified his statement. "But that's only because we're also securing here at home. So that leaves the marine corps as the only force I can truly fully mobilize. And MacCready's men...fortunately, he's from the Capital Wastes so he knows the territory."

Brandis interrupted. "Don't forget that everyone of our air crews can fly out of the Commonwealth to operate in the Capitol Wastes. They can support any APC crew you send down. And with the parts you sent up from Rivet City, we'll be able to expand our air superiority."

The red head regarded him. "I thought you agreed that those planes were much older than the vertibirds the Brotherhood had access to."

"Yes.", Brandis nodded. "However, an older model jet fighter is still air superiority compared to general purpose propeller driven craft. So bringing up those planes, even in pieces was still the right idea."

"Speaking of supply transport.", the General turned to the quiet ghoul. "Admiral Zao, I've let the information 'leak' to a Brotherhood...reliable source...that Rivet City's occupation is supported by a nuclear submarine. Can the Discovery be present in the Capitol Wastes theater when the Yangtze is not?"

The ghoul shook his head. "The men have done an admirable job not allowing it to sink into the depths of the ocean on her voyage from Far Harbor Island. But considering that the limitations of our dry dock, I would very much hesitate any attempt to move it from Commonwealth waters for some time."

"And what about the possibility of re-arming the Yangtze?", she continued.

The ghoul pressed his lips together. "You have asked me for honesty. I would not place either directly within reach of the enemy. Consider that the rest of the navy are brown water vessels and need full support to make the trip to the Capitol Wastes. And that the Yangtze is the only vessel that can carry that support. Also, even when the Discovery joins her in the water, there are no other replacements. I would keep both submerged except when loading or off loading cargo and not use either for any other purpose at this time."

Brandis leaned forward. "Look, I might be able to pull some people/"

"No.", Desdemona informed. "There's no reason to believe that the Brotherhood of Steel have any naval capacity beyond walking their power armor into the water. I advise keeping everyone that can make a difference on putting those planes back together and maintaining any air superiority we have. Just the idea that we can attack any Brotherhood installation at any time more than makes up for whatever mythical capabilities they may imagine to the words 'nuclear submarine'."

"I agree.", the General declared.

"Look alive. If Bridget does her job then Rivet City will have a deck full of artillery, the walls of an aircraft carrier and manned by veteran mercenaries. Our beach head won't break and no matter what posturing the remaining Brotherhood put forward. Even if the citizenry and Bridget herself have their loyalty bought with our supply runs, even though I seem to be the only one with confidence in our other colonel."

Preston still objected. "But trying to take the Capitol Wastes by force from them is bound to start turning our comrades into corpses."

"Which is why I need to limit how much needs to be taken by warfare.", the General announced.

"Preston, keep up recruitment efforts. For the Minutemen and the settlements themselves. More people for the settlements means a higher population for the Commonwealth. And the more we can make into Minutemen, the more we can send Minutemen who've seen action to secure places the marines have taken. And then we have re-mobilized marine forces.

"Brandis, you already know what to do. Planes, planes, planes with a side of 'if we've missed an APC'. When I'm ready to pull more APC crews to the Capitol Wastes, I'll let you know.

"Shaw, you too. Production stays up. The Brotherhood has not ever cared for these people. Any backlog we have right now will disappear into the stomachs of the soon-to-be-free people of the Capitol Wastes.

"Zao, work with her. And have the Yangtze leave without me as soon as it's loaded. If I need to get back to the Capitol Wastes, I'll find another ride. And have the crew listen sharp, in case I need anything brought back.

"Desdemona. When I was down there, there was a DJ...three dogs, I think...that praised a wasteland savior more than Piper hypes me. That and everything you can find about Reilly's Rangers, their team bad ass, and any other mercenary group we might find ourselves in the line of fire of."

The General sighed. "I think that takes care of that. When you leave, tell the guards to send in the civilian government. And after that, I'll have the distinct pleasure of informing the Institute that their most dangerous enemy refuses to abide by their own deals and have to be destroyed. As sarcastically as I possibly can, 'yay'."


	100. Chess on the Map - 2

Author's Note: Chapter 100? Who'd-a-thunk-it! Even if I take breaks in updates, many more to go. Also: Why are bottlecaps REALLY used as money? - Rethinking Fallout 4 by ShoddyCast on youtube

1

The Director, not uniformed as the General but in the black suit she wore to signify her non-scientist status in the Institute, sat at the head of the Directorate. She was trying to come around to what they were telling her. It was nearly too good to be true. She had not even hoped for it, let alone planned for it.

"You're telling me.", the Director began. "The Institute _wants_ to use its resources to support the war against what I would like to call the insurgent elements in the Capitol Wastes: but everyone knows is just the Brotherhood of Steel ignoring the fact that they had surrendered. I don't have to convince anyone or ask for trust.

"Even the Commonwealth Council needed me to explain how the conflict was going to keep outside of our existing borders before they bought on."

Madison Li spoke first. "I've worked first hand with them...or, I should say tried to. They are obsessed with taking any piece of tech for themselves, whether they know what to do with it or the consequences of having it. James and I created Project Purity - James gave his life to that project. They abandoned it until it was about to reach fruition and then they seized it when he stepped up after raising his daughter."

Dr. Ayo laid on next. "We've already become the Brotherhood's greatest enemy. They've sought to destroy every synth, without the Railroad's imagined sympathy. They would love to take everything we've ever created from us, reducing us to less than even those on the surface.

"We have never been against the Commonwealth. So don't assume that we would somehow abandon good sense out of some misguided spite, refusing to defeat the Brotherhood in some effort to cut off our nose to spite the Commonwealth's face."

"Besides. There's no way we can do what we need to with their existence.", Dr. Cabot spoke.

"How's that?", the Director asked.

"We need an information control that we haven't seen on the planet for some time. Do you understand the Jet Road idea?", Dr. Ayo started. He continued showing his question to be rhetorical. "Bottlecaps are used as currency because traders in the New California Republic backed them in water. So why are they used here? The only thing we've ever gotten from the NCR was Kellog. Well, currencies travel along with the products they buy - and nothing spreads like drugs. Since Jet was invented on the West Coast, obviously it made it's way here and the bottlecap along with it.

"The problem we face is that information travels faster."

Dr. Cabot took over again. "You're right, Director. If we are to have any attempt at creating any defense against the technology that built the alien ship, we're going to have to work surface side. Launch site, infrastructure, monitoring...and all of that staffed and serviced and constructed. Which means that the populace of the Commonwealth will have to be educated back to a functional state. And if we don't, we're all dead anyway.

"But if we make the attempt and the information that not only are there synths but aliens, we'll have problems we can barely envision. The Brotherhood of Steel, the NCR, any other countries that have popped up since the Great War. There's no where that the citizens would allow their governments _not_ to take everything from us, wasting the opportunity the Institute uniquely has. And that's leaving alone the threat of every gang of raiders and mercenary outfit on the planet leaving us under constant attack. There's no way the Minutemen can defend the Commonwealth against that and the usual every day dangers of supermutants and feral ghouls and monsters of the wastes.

"So we have to support the Minutemen in the endeavor to unite the only territories that have reliable information about us."

Dr. Ayo began again. "By my projections, if we are the sole sovereign state within operational reach of ourselves then it will buy us another two decades of non-interference. Maybe as much as four."

"Also, there's the added human capital to consider.", Allie stated. "Creating an alien replica vehicle is going to be the same amount of resources, whatever that turns out to be. Sharing it across more communities will make it less of a burden on any one of them."

The Director smiled. "So what can be done to help."

"Troop production.", Dr. Holdren answered. "Dr...I keep forgetting that she's not achieved that yet. Ms. Cruz has renovated the mark II synth. Without breaking your suspension of creating potentially sentient synths, we can now mass produce drones with the combat effectiveness of an older model wearing T-60 power armor. All the standard size, no additional fueling.

"We're even ready to begin testing a new growth technique which will allow them to observably if not behaviorally pass for human. The process can encase the entire endoskeleton with the same tissues of a Mark III synth instead of the foams we use for the current Mark IIs without decreasing durability or mobility."

The Director held her hands over her face and leaned back in her chair. "That's...that's wonderful. I wonder if I need a new colonel for this or can I integrate the extra robot power into the current chain of command. If I did promote someone, could it be from the Institute itself so I could pass off a successor to the General-ship without making the Commonwealth look like a puppet of the Institute?"

She shook her head. "That's wonderful."

Madison Li added, "There's more. If you come down to Advanced Systems, I can debut the Institute Make Model II LASER MUSKET. We're focusing down the laser for more joules per area. While it's potentially less lethal due to wound width, it will be much more effective penetrating power armor and over the distance from ground to a vertibird."

The Director nodded again. "Thank you. Thank you all.

"But what about the Molecular Relay?"

The council turned to Allie Fillmore. "The Molecular Relay relies on the radio channel we have playing over the Commonwealth. That simply doesn't exist in the Capitol Wastes. We would need to be able to set up an Institute secure, Institute powered transmitter."

"Which would have to be completely separated from any non-Institute communities, and kept completely secret from construction through usage.", the Director understood.

Dr. Ayo contributed. "Due to the Turing testing and the surrender of the Railroad, the coursers are very idle. I'm sure they can be retasked towards the war effort."

"I'll keep that in mind.", the Director stated. "But as things stand, I want to keep the shooting to a minimum. Adding pieces to the board brings us closer to victory. Unleashing coursers brings us into more fire fights. Those are going to happen, in fact one should be happening now."


	101. Chess on the Map - 3

1

"You might take one, but no pound can hold all three - it's Three Dog! Putting flavor in your ears so your BLAMCO MAC AND CHEESE tastes like something other than fizzy radiation and carnal misery.

"Here's an update on Rivet City.

"Now, we've all heard of towns going dark before. Supermutants, raiders, hell...giant ants. But this just might be a first. You see, a warlord that goes by the name of 'the General' has taken over the town. And sources say, she's packing quite the arsenal. And not just your usual fare of laser and HUNTING RIFLEs. No, she's bringing vertibirds and APCs along with her marine corps.

"So far, the residents of that old ship are getting food and water. And with so many hostages, our boys in power armor haven't exactly been chomping at the bit to rush in. The Brotherhood of Steel is mustering troops in the area, but it looks like artillery posts are being built on top of Rivet City itself. So we're looking at one of the biggest stand-offs to hit the Capitol Wastes since Raven Rock vs. the Citadel. But remember who came out on top then, boys and girls."

2

Major MacCready looked out at his strike force. They were hidden but only as much as they could be in their MARINE ARMOR against the exceedingly concrete backdrop of the Capitol Wastes. Where mutated plants had evolved and not all of the paint had faded away and interesting patterns of rust colored the landscape of the Commonwealth, the Capitol Wastes were a uniform delapidated shade of grey until it fell into a bland sea of sandy brown.

And that made their targets that much more camoflauged. Perhaps when the T-60 armor pieces were new, they were shiny enough to stand out. But after untold centuries of use and repair and damage (oh, so much damage), the Brotherhood of Steel blended into this concrete jungle way too well. That's why MacCready had told his team to keep their distance. Yes, they were expecting the Brotherhood to be at the site they were set to take. But picking out the yellow FUSION COREs that powered the armor was not something one could do in the heat of a running fire fight.

So they waited.

MacCready pulled his trigger first. Before he had even let go, his people had all fired on their targets. FUSION CORES started to leak and heat up dangerously. Just like they were trained to, the Brotherhood of Steel popped out of their armors and used them for shielding against the blast. After those explosions cleared, they sought to re-equip but it was too late.

"You can either consider yourself under arrest for violating the terms of the surrender of the Brotherhood of Steel.", MacCready offered to the unarmed people his men held at gunpoint. "Or I can start stripping dead bodies of holotags. Your choice."

"Steel be with us!" **blam**

"Dammit, it wasn't supposed to be a choice.", MacCready told the survivors. "Now whoever thinks they're in charge better tell the others to stand down."

The man he was covering spoke up. "Uh, she had the highest seniority. Because she had the most dedication to the cause."

"Move.", the Major spat. They forced all of the survivors into the back of the camp site. "This deep into downtown, the noise has to have drawn some muties. Once we survive the wave of them, we can get the job the General sent us on done."

And again, MacCready had made the right call. Green hulking giants saw opened, unmanned power armors and immediately rushed. But they rushed into a hail of sniper fire that only the Far Harbor islanders that comprised his unit could lay down. Soon, MacCready's people had secured the objective having killed only supermutants. Sure they may have used a bit more RAD AWAY and STIMPACKS than they had expected because of one of the Brotherhood's stupidity? bravery? Audacity. But with her healing and everyone drinking the Brotherhood's AQUA FORTIS, this mission was going as right as what he was told rain used to be.

The Major looked up at the Washington Monument which he was now at the base of. "You got all of the equipment Radio Freedom prepped."

"Well, I go what he gave me. He said it was a Railroad guy in a crazy hat who rigged it. But we ran through the instructions for plugging it into the transmitter together, over and over."

MacCready activated the elevator. "Well, let's put it to work."

3

"People of the Capitol Wastes.

"Although this is the first time hearing my voice, I am sure you know me through the lies that have been told about me. I am the General of the Minutemen. We are an organization of volunteers that come to the aid of settlements 'at a minutes notice', just like the Minutemen of yore. While I may have been one of the many people responsible for rebuilding the trust between the communities we protect and the capacity we have become, my colleagues and I serve on the behalf of the civilian government of the Commonwealth. That's right - I am no warlord. I am a public servant of a government by the people, for the people.

"The Brotherhood of Steel fired a nuclear missile on us, one of the weapons of the Great War. This is not the first crime these fascists who answer to no one but their own cults have committed against us. They've stolen technology from whomever they thought they were stronger than, often by force. Because they only take, they have sought to intimidate farms into enslavement. I'm certain that all of you are just as familiar with the Brotherhood's actions as we are. The difference is that we have pushed to failure three of their invasions against our civilian populace.

"The people, just like you, who are in my care cannot wait for a fourth invasion or another of the horrific, civilization destroying weapons of the past. After the last invasion, the elder's of the Brotherhood personal forces were made to surrender. No more will civilians be made to shoulder their oppressions or their atrocities.

"I am sorry that the Brotherhood has inflicted upon you such conditions that you refer to the land where you live and raise your children as 'Wastes'. We have come to repair the damage that the Brotherhood has caused. Rivet City now has its own separate source of clean water, independent upon itself, for the first time with no reliance on any outside force - neither The Minutemen that provided the source or the Brotherhood that tried to keep them dependent. While, working with us we expect that Rivet City will become the same for food, the Commonwealth through the Minutemen are sharing our carefully budgeted abundance of both food and medicine with all the people we can reach.

"According to the terms of the Brotherhood's surrender to civilian ruled forces, they were no longer supposed to hold you like this. In fact, their whole gang was supposed to be disbanded. But outright treachery is just another tool of an oppressor. This may slow our ability to aid or even rescue you. But it does not stop our determination nor our collective abilities.

"Civilian communities that have no Brotherhood presence and are welcoming to join in a peaceful, future focused cause are the ones most likely to meet us first and find out all we have to offer whether its simply needed medical care or a loftier goal of protecting citizens and their rights. Those that the Brotherhood of Steel's remaining insurgents have hidden themselves within in order to extort even more in their last days: know that we are on our way and that the Minutemen have not forgotten you."

4

It was nightfall before the team noticed the Brotherhood's response. Fortunately, the Institute's rifles could be affixed with the very latest in scope technology. Slowly but surely, every member of Reilly's Rangers could be accounted for. There were no power armor clad knights in the cordon that was being set around them.

Then a voice proved that not every one under those colors were accounted for. "You're completely surrounded. Throw down your weapons and release your hostages."

"We don't have any hostages!", MacCready called back out to the voice he was certain sounded familiar. "Only criminals who are under arrest for perfidy."

"And when we rush your position to kill all of you?", the voice called out. "They aren't going to come to harm to prevent our actions?"

Then it clicked. "Mungo?"

Less than a shadow poked its head out from one of the pillars holding the gate at the entrance to the Washington Monument's base site. "MacCready? Robert, is that you?"

"Yeah. Yes, it is." MacCready licked his lips. "Look, maybe we can talk something out. You stand down your guys, I stand down my guys. We talk - just you and me."

There was a slight pause. "I'm coming in armed.", the Lone Wanderer replied.

"Dammit, mungo.", MacCready cursed. "Just you. Just me. We meet outside the gate."

"Fine. Kid.", she accepted.

After a few minutes of rushed instructions, the two met outside what was once the Brotherhood of Steel's campsite. The woman nearly disappeared into the night in her CHINESE STEALTH SUIT despite it being deactivated and her mask off. She smiled a bit too brightly at the man who now stood a head taller than her.

"So you went off to the Commonwealth.", she surmised.

MacCready felt like he was thirteen again, but a real thirteen and not the mayor of Little Lamplight that had to put up such a gruff exterior to be taken seriously. He scratched the back of his neck. "Well, the little boy of Lucy and me fell sick with something. We learned that the only thing that could cure him was up in the Commonwealth."

"Lucy.", the Lone Wanderer acknowledged. "Lucy, huh. And not Princess? And here I thought all little boys acted like that with girls they liked."

MacCready rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if Princess was returned to sender by slavers and supermutants.

"But before we get everyone else jumpy because we're wasting time reminiscing. What are we going to do here?"

The Lone Wanderer nodded. "Look, your merc team cut Three Dog off the air, MacCready."

"Two things.", MacCready stated.

"First off, we're not a merc team. It's Major MacCready of the Special Forces. We're in the chain of command answering to a civilian government. Now I had fallen in with some real troublesome mercs when I got to the Commonwealth, I'm not going to lie. But the General herself got me out of it. She set me up guarding civilians and taking civilian orders. The Commonwealth doesn't even have mercenaries any more and everything is handled by the Minutemen. In fact, once the General gets through bringing everyone on board down here, I don't think Talon Company is going to exist. Reilly - she should think long and hard about hyping up the branding of her Rangers as explorers more than a combat unit. Nearly everyone has orders to put down any Lyon's Pride members that can't be taken into custody if they're still flying colors.

"The second thing is that you know just as well as I do that Three Dog is a Brotherhood puppet."

The woman objected. "Three Dog isn't censored."

"Who said anything about censoring?", MacCready replied just as fiercely. "He was vehemently anti-Enclave. He's protected by, fueled by and surrounded by heavily armed Brotherhood of Steel members at all times. There's no need for him to be censored. He's actually a tool for them - that's why he sounds so sincere.

"The General is just big on making sure everyone gets their say. Hell, I expect she'll demand that Three Dog stay on the air after this is all under Commonwealth control just to be certain that there's some form of free press in operation."

The Lone Wanderer raised an eyebrow. "So you're trying to tell me that the General of the marines that took over Rivet City/"

"Oh, she's not the general of the marines.", MacCready corrected. At the Lone Wanderer's stare, he explained. "Colonel call-sign Bridget is the leader of the entire Marine Corps, some of which are securing Rivet City. There are other colonels of other top level concerns like Brandis who's lent some of the elements of Motorpool and Preston of Personnel. There's a lot of different corps in the Minutemen now, just due to its sheer size of operation. The General is in command of them all."

She let out a quick breath and started speaking quickly and firmly. "So you're trying to tell me that she sent a hit squad to attack a power armor guarded site and take the only news source in the entire Capitol Wastes offline just to plead a case?"

He shrugged. "She was a lawyer. You know, before the bombs."

The Lone Wanderer face palmed. "Look/"

"No, wait, you look.", MacCready cut off. He sucked on his lower lip a bit and then spat out an offer. "Give us until midnight. The General just really wants her piece said to the people. You give us until midnight, we'll clean out of here and leave the transmitter. You can set up Three Dog again. Once the Commonwealth gets operational control of the area, Three Dog and the government'll have the conversation they need to have if any."

"You'll leave the hostages?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"Mungo...", the young man replied. "They're criminals. They all are. The Brotherhood surrendered. And now they're trying to have it both ways."

"You'll leave the hostages.", the Lone Wanderer did not ask.

"We take the power armor. You keep the people.", MacCready offered.

She continued. "Are they harmed?"

"We had to use a few STIMPACKS to get them back up shape. And they know they've been in another fight they can't win.", he man pointed out.

"And neither can you. If I'm thinking correctly, behind you is a contingent of knights in power armor in case you fail at making sure the Capitol Wastes keeps hearing how great your bunch are. But if this signal goes out without an explanation, there's going to be a vertibird fleet with other support behind it that comes for us. And in that, there might not be a Washington Monument or transmitter left. But if all my people are able to tell commanders that the message went out for everyone to hear, it might be a different story."

The Lone Wanderer folded her arms. MacCready knew his people were going to wonder why he even acted like she was on somehow even footing with him. On the other hand, he had seen her in action before. Maybe the memories were exaggerated because he was a child. But between her sword and her suit and her skill that was apparently handed down through her family since before even coming to the continent, let alone the Great War, this small woman could become a monster or a phantom and all without warning.

For her part, she thought. MacCready had to understand that it was the Brotherhood that sent Reilly's Rangers out here. But every time she encountered someone from the Commonwealth, they spoke as if the Rangers were an independent agent...which was only technically true. A few more soldiers added to the inevitable fighting probably would not make a difference. No matter how the Capitol Wastes regarded her, the Commonwealth had to have its own champions. But things had not deteriorated into shooting, yet. Not even Rivet City as far as she knew. She had heard about the mustering the Brotherhood did at Project Purity and there was an immediate 'test' of the newly installed artillery of the marines on a supermutant camp just to make a point. As long as she did not start the shooting, Reilly's colors would be a pass - maybe not a free pass but a pass all the same - when it came to the Commonwealth elsewhere. She could not give that up quite yet.

"You have a deal, major.", the Lone Wanderer told him. "You have your people start packing now. You clear out at midnight. You leave the transmitter and the hos...prisoners here."

"Deal.", he man replied.

The woman stepped backwards into the darkness, pulled her cowl back on, and nearly disappeared before his eyes.

MacCready went back to his people. "Alright, start packing."

"Finally.", one the islanders said. "We were supposed to be out of here by sunset to avoid an assault."

"Yeah, but I got us until midnight, so mission successful in my book."


	102. Chess on the Map - 4

1

The Lone Wanderer sat at the conference table in the Citadel. She once again was representing Reilly's Rangers to the Brotherhood of Steel (defenders of the Capitol Wastes or rogue raider gang depending on the sides that were becoming more apparent by the day). Reilly was proving a really good sport about how much leadership she was holding over the team...but considering how many caps the Brotherhood was funneling through her and that Charon and Faukes will always be more loyal to her than their nominal Ranger leader, maybe that was for the best.

"Good job with the antenna.", Sentinal Cross congratulated.

Star Palidan Casadin scoffed. "It would have been a better job had you shot a few on the way out. Or any."

The Lone Wanderer glared. "It sounds like you want this debacle to turn into a full fledged shooting quagmire just as much as you say the General does."

Jameson questioned. "Doesn't she?"

The Lone Wanderer thought. "I don't know. She should if she believes half of what she says about us. She should if she's not bluffing about her forces and is motivated like the other wasteland villains we've dealt with before. On the other hand, what reason do we have to accept the size of her forces?"

"Besides the fact that we don't have the tiniest foot hold in the Commonwealth? Or that she took Rivet City before we could launch a response in order to build infrastructure in it?", Cross replied.

"We could have stopped her. We just weren't thinking of such a scenario.", Casadin interjected. "We will now. With the troops that are mustering at Project Purity, we can storm Rivet City/"

"And kill every single civilian there in the crossfire.", Jameson reminded.

"And every day we don't have Rivet City Security working Aqua Pura is another we're deeper into this mess.", Casadin replied.

"What mess?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"You want to explain, Star Paladin?", Jameson offered.

Casadin opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. "So you are stepping into the role of elder?"

"I didn't say that.", the scribe stated.

"Then stop treating me or my men as if we're still Outcasts.", Casadin warned. "We've been re-integrated since Maxson took command. And I think we've cemented our place here. Unless Sentinel Cross cares to object."

Cross rolled her eyes.

Casadin continued. "So until someone takes command and decides this is somehow my fault, stop acting like you're in a position to make such calls."

The Lone Wanderer tried to interrupt the infighting. "Look, it would be convenient if someone was Elder but it doesn't look like any of you are going to do that. I don't know if it's out of mutual respect or paranoia that the General will come for the Elder first and I don't have to care. So if you want my help, then tell me - What mess?"

The three Brotherhood of Steel commanders glared angrily at each other.

The scholar was the first to turn away. "Food.", Jameson said. "We've never truly grasped how much of the Capitol Wastes food supply was actually scavenged from the Commonwealth. This General, nominally in name of and under the guise of the Commonwealth Council, has started issuing trade licenses. Knuckle under, Commonwealth caravans will trade. Don't - starve. As such, our supplies are dwindling. Things are going to be hard pressed without another food source."

The Lone Wanderer rolled her eyes. "And if this situation continues, when does that mean you'll storm Rivet City in hopes of forcing the General to back down? Before a plan forms or even before everyone comes back from the supermutant suppression missions."

Casadin looked to Cross, who hung her head.

"Let me try something.", the Lone Wanderer said while standing.

Cross turned to her. "Like what?"

She shrugged. "So far, I've been pretty good when lives are on the line. Seems like more of the same now.

"You'll keep footing the bill of the Rangers?"

"Well, your team is two for two in the past month.", Casadin pointed out. "Even recalling the Pride hasn't gone that smooth."

Cross nodded. "If you can get us the time, it would be the right move."

Jameson held out her hands. "I'll defer to our operations managers."

2

The Lone Wanderer was foiled even before she made the attempt. She should have been tipped off when Nadine's steamboat appeared to be in the best repair in years. The Wanderer led the Rangers over some of the dryer land of Point Lookout, towards the Ark & Dove Cathedral. But as it came into sight, the problem was apparent.

The Minutemen were everywhere, swarming over it like ants.

She took a deep breath of the always humid air of Point Lookout. "We're not flying Brotherhood colors.", she reminded Reilly. "Let's just get in and find Jackson."

The Wanderer led her band up to the gates of cathedral turned farming monastery. She did not find Jackson. She did find two parked APCs, two vertibirds that had taken to the air, troops in a different uniform than the green of the Minutemen Marines, and a man that wore a COLONIAL DUSTER like Colonel Bridget had. And her.

Always her.

"I think we're spotted, 101.", Reilly said.

The Lone Wanderer agreed. "Well, might as well make the most of it. I don't think they'll take kindly to all of us approaching considering our bout with MacCready."

"They let us in Rivet City.", the mercenary leader reminded.

"They let _me_ in Rivet City.", the other woman reminded. "And that's because I have a residence there and they seem to want to make a show of legal privileges. I'm beginning to think the General actually believes she was a pre-war lawyer.

"You want to be the one to parley?"

Reilly shook her head. "You're the one with the pre-existing relationship. And besides, you'd have a better chance at cutting her down if you have the opportunity."

The Lone Wanderer tried to cover her laugh with a scoff. Failing, she strode up to the General while Reilly's Rangers kept a considerable distance. Not an 'out of firing range' distance...more like a 'let's pretend this is out of ear shot' distance.

The General turned to the man. "This is Little Miss Bad-Ass, as Bridget labeled her. Between going on adventures around the Capitol Wastes, she pals around with the totally-not-a-mercenary team of explorers, Reilly's Rangers: also going on adventures around the Capitol Wastes."

The man looked back and forth between the two akwardly. "Um, Preston Garvey, ma'am. Colonel of Personnel, Commonwealth Minutemen.", he greeted holding out a gloved hand.

The Lone Wanderer looked at him as if wondering if he was for real. She ended up shaking his hand. "Pleasure.

"I'm here to talk to your boss about a food situation."

"Oh?", Preston asked.

The General nodded. "Of course. Your team came to Rivet City for supplies and this is a long way away, taking into account your little side trip. Colonel Garvey, would you be so kind to check our supplies and see if we can come up with a meal for Reilly's Rangers. I'm sure those two big fellows can pack it away."

"Yes, ma'am.", Preston acknowledged as he slunk away. Every Minuteman there understood the flash in his eye as an order to protect the General at the expense of the mission and especially at the expense of the Lone Wanderer and this ranger team.

"That's not what I meant and you know it.", the Lone Wanderer accused.

The General regarded her. "If you would like to hand your weapons over to the Ark & Dove's residents - not even any of our Minutemen - then perhaps you can explain to me what I *ahem* 'know'."

The Lone Wanderer reassessed the people facing her. Yes, most were Minutemen. But there was a tribal at the gate to the estate surrounding the cathedral. Inside the gate, it even appeared that Minutemen and tribals were working together to bring up what would become a windmill. And then she spotted a particular tribal.

"Woodrose!", the Lone Wanderer called out. The Minutemen made some movements at the call, but no one made a mistake.

The tribal she called out to came rushing up. "Hey, I haven't seen you in some time. There's a lot of changes going on."

"So I've heard.", the Lone Wanderer agreed. "One of which is that Jackson needs me to hand over my sword if I want to come in. Just keep it close." And with that the Lone Wanderer offered the blade to Woodrose.

The tribal turned to the General with questions in her eyes. "Only until things settle down.", the Minutemen leader explained. "The Commonwealth is generally pro-right to bear arms, with the only exception being nuclear weapons. But Point Lookout won't really be 'tamed' for a few weeks by our estimates, so some precautions need to be in order. I've assured her that your security will return all of the weapons she hands over as soon as she seeks to leave the community.

"Every last one of them.", the General stated for emphasis.

The Lone Wanderer turned all the way around. Her CHINESE STEALTH SUIT didn't really leave much room for concealing a hidden rifle.

Woodrose lifted the sword that she was already handed.

The General nodded. "We were going to turn this possible security breach into a lunch break. Please, Woodrose: I'm sure your friend would love for you to join us. This way, we can talk about all the new and exciting things happening to Point Lookout.

"Now that it is under Commonwealth control."


	103. Chess on the Map - 5

Author's Note: The reviewer Paladin Bailey is correct, Rothschild is male. This is a mistake on my part, like mistaking Colonel Cypress of the Gunners for Commander Cortez. Hence, Rothschild is not the intended character-Elizabeth Jameson is, Proctor of the Order of the Quill and pays for holotags in Fallout 3. This has been corrected in previous chapters. The Brotherhood of Steel faction that operates in the Capitol Wastes is currently commanded by Head Scribe Jameson, Sentinel Cross (leading the surviving forces that were once loyal to Elder Lyons before Maxson's 'reconciliation' between the outcasts and the regulars), and Star Paladin Casadin (leading the surviving forces that were once loyal to only himself as outcasts before Maxson's 'reconciliation' between the outcasts and the regulars). I had meant to imply / allow to be inferred that the reason no one was elder of the Brotherhood of Steel was because neither Casadin nor Cross could command the other's forces due to having shot too many over the years and Jameson dare not.

1

The Lone Wanderer sat next to Woodrose at a table that would have been used for picnicking, if parks still existed after the Great War. Across from her was the General of the Minutemen and what she was beginning to suspect was more consort than Colonel of Personnel.

"You don't even know!", Woodrose exclaimed as she savored her food.

Preston smiled like he was supposed to be on a recruitment poster. "Oh, I don't know. I'd put this punga above MUTFRUIT."

Woodrose shook her head. "For everyday, for all of your life? This noodles with...how did you say?"

"Brahmin. There's some carrot and a hint of bloodleaf as well.", the General explained. "It's as close to what a ramen shop in Okinawa I knew that I could come up with. But there's more that the time-natives of the Commonwealth have come up with."

"That's right. You said you were frozen before the Great War.", Woodrose restated. "Well, lucky for us that you were."

"Lucky?", the Lone Wanderer questioned.

"Of course!", Preston and Woodrose exclaimed at the same time.

"Pardon, ma'am.", Preston gestured.

Woodrose acknowledged his politeness with a simple nod. "The General has big plans that are already coming together. It seems that the Commonwealth doesn't have punga as a crop. So we at the Ark & Dove can grow all the punga we can and have a solid demand for it in the Commonwealth. But the Commonwealth has all these other crops, and factories,"

The General shook her hand to suggest that Woodrose was overselling it.

"and resources that we'll benefit from. Even now, we're garnering Minutemen protection. And not just men, but these auto-turrets you see being set-up."

Preston restated. "Remember, the Minutemen won't be able to operate inside your community. You'll still be responsible for internal policing as we're only allowed to combat outside threats to Commonwealth citizens."

The Lone Wanderer questioned that as well. "You signed up with them?"

"Of course.", Woodrose told her. "Look, Jackson and everyone really looks to me to keep this place functioning while we search for enlightenment. Our quality of life is going to lift into the sky with the improved trade and protection becoming part of the Commonwealth gives. We already have our trading licenses along with Madame Panada, Haley, and Margueritte."

"We've made a lot of progress covering Point Lookout.", the General explained. "We've found an empty mansion to the southwest where we could start a true settlement, and a few other locations. I'm concerned that the military site might be too radioactive to be self-sufficient though."

She turned to Woodrose. "That's why we're installing the water purifiers here for you guys. We need everyone in the Commonwealth to be self-capable enough to 'hold out a while' if our local Minutemen need reinforcements to come rescue you."

"And what about the swamp people?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

Preston and the General looked at her. Preston started. "Don't tell me you're one of those people."

"What 'people'?"

"That can't just leave people be.", he explained. "When we set up a settlement, it's up to the people to come join. If they can act civil and pull their own, that's all we ask. We don't really go for much of the intolerance in the Commonwealth."

"We have ghoul neighbors, a ghoul settlement, even one of our most influential politicians is ghoulified.", the General explained. "My _admiral_ is a ghoul. I even have a supermutant sheriff. I thought someone who was comfortable traveling with Reilly's Rangers and its obviously motley crew wouldn't hold such biases."

"And the Commonwealth looks out for people.", Woodrose assured. "Remember Kenny?"

The Lone Wanderer glared at the General. "You mean the child who was abandoned by _swamp people_ because he didn't share their mutations?"

"Teen, when we found him.", the General replied. "We got him a spot in Vault 88. The overseer's a ghoul there."

"I wouldn't use her as a best foot forward example.", Preston chided. The General faintly smiled in response.

"How is that even possible?", the Lone Wanderer objected.

The General rolled her head from side to side. "Her vault was maybe scheduled for completion between 2078 and 2079 for a nuclear blast that came in 2077. But working together, Vault 88 has become a valuable settlement for the Commonwealth."

The woman turned to Woodrose. "Unlike here, which will be a full fledged community."

"Speaking of which, who do you think is going to be your representative to the council?", Preston asked. "I'm liking your man Jimson for the job. He seems to be..."

"Grounded?", Woodrose accepted Preston's small nod. "It's up to Jackson, as he's still the most enlightened of us. But between him leading here and me running the place, I'd bet on Jimson as well."

"And the General's going to allow you to continue on with your religion?", the Lone Wanderer interjected. That should break up this love fest.

In an offended tone the General stated, "It's not up to _me_ what religion anyone follows. Sure, I may not be that religious but I've had my experiences. And while I may be more...accustomed to pre-war religions, we have a community of Children of the Atom and a settlement of Hubologists as well as the more traditional. As long as one's practice doesn't harm anyone else, it's none of the Minutemen's business what you practice or preach. Even if I personally would like to see the Children be more careful about gathering sources of radioactivity to bring back to the Nucleus."

"Then why are you coming down so hard on Rivet City?", the Lone Wanderer demanded.

"Rivet City is a religious issue?", Preston wondered aloud. "How?"

Woodrose snapped her fingers at the General. "This is the city you were talking about, to the north in the Capitol Wastes."

"Yes.", the General said. "Rivet City's security were working hand in hand with the Brotherhood of Steel. So far, we have no sign that their civilian council has any interest in working with someone other than those monsters. So my hands are tied. If they wanted to join our representative government, which they could then influence because it is a _representative_ government that the Minutemen _serve under_ then I could work with them. But since they've told us that the intent of the majority of them is to use Rivet City's security against us, we have to keep the community secure.

"What am I supposed to do? Force them to hold fake elections that I rig? What would be the point of that? I'm not going to slaughter a community's security force for obeying their elected government if I can keep them from being a threat, and thanks to Colonel call-sign Bridget's exemplary taking of the situation I don't have to.

"All I can do is keep showing that the Commonwealth has its citizenry's best interests at heart. We've made them water independent, we're shipping food, people are back trading in the market place...What more do you want than my head on a platter for looking at you cross eyed?"

"Freedom like it was when the Brotherhood had the run of the Capitol Wastes.", the Lone Wanderer stated.

Preston stood up. "Freedom? I've been fighting for freedom my whole life. Freedom isn't coercing and intimidating farms into giving you what those families worked for without helping them in the slightest. It's not stealing tech from a place and hoarding it because you can't come up with anything yourself. The Minutemen defeat people like that. We defeated the Rust Devils. We defeated the Institute itself. And the Brotherhood of Steel being willing to use a weapon from the Great War to destroy the land itself isn't the freedom I've been bleeding for my whole life."

"Calm down, Preston.", the General said while laying a hand on his.

Still shaking, he automatically answered. "Yes, ma'am."

"That's not what I meant.", she offered. "Dismissed, Colonel."

Preston turned to walk off. The General still held his hand. "I'll come talk with you, okay?"

He nodded and then stormed off.

The General turned on the Lone Wanderer. "I don't get you. You seem like a nice girl. You tell me you were raised in a Vault, with some vestige of civilization. Is it just Stockholm Syndrome that has you thinking that I'm the bad guy because I want to stop the captors of the Capitol Wastes? With what? Construction?"

The General gestured to the work going on around them.

"Thank you for the lunch, Woodrose.", the General said. "I'm going to do a last run through on the people here and then get going to other sites. If you'll excuse me.

"And see our guest out, if the community of the Ark & Dove doesn't intend to extend her residency like Rivet City has."

And with that, the General picked up her and Preston's plate and walked off.

Woodrose glared at the Lone Wanderer.

"Look...", the Lone Wanderer began.

"No, you look.", Woodrose countered. "You've seen how hard it is to keep this place running for our earthly forms while we seek to escape them. It's about to get a lot easier just for growing all the punga we can. Why do you want to ruin that for us?"

"No, you look.", the Lone Wanderer tried again. "These people are an army. They took the largest city in the Capitol Wastes without batting an eye.

"And the Brotherhood of Steel? They defeated the Enclave who were just about putting people under their thumb. The Brotherhood helped my father bring water to the Capitol Wastes, and when the Enclave killed him and tried to steal it, they avenged his death and started working with Rivet City Security to make sure people got free fresh water. These people stopped all of that."

Woodrose looked around and shrugged. "I don't see how you're going to convince anyone here of anything like that."

The Lone Wanderer nodded. "Me neither."

Woodrose offered a weak smile. "Walk you out?"

The two women strode back to the gate and shared a brief if symbolic hug. "Don't be a stranger. You're always welcome here."

"I'll try not to be.", the Lone Wanderer replied.

Woodrose handed her sword back. Unfortunately, the General walked up at that time. Laser muskets from Minutemen instantly stopping their tasks leveled. The General backed up a step. The Lone Wanderer slid the sword into her belt across her back and made a show of holding her hands up. The Minutemen lowered their weapons but did not stop watching her.

The General offered. "Look, I'm not the jerk you think I am. You came in saying that there was a food situation."

The Lone Wanderer nodded.

The red head continued. "I can't risk Brotherhood agents coming into the Commonwealth. Not anymore. And I certainly can't ask civilians to risk their lives, especially not to aid the Brotherhood of Steel.

"But...if any Brotherhood of Steel elements, even single individuals, give up their armor and weapons...we have left over POW camps from our defeat of the Gunners. They'll get shelter, food, water, and more importantly away from the fighting until the conflict is over and the Capitol Wastes are secure."

The Lone Wanderer tilted her head. "Gunners."

"The last mercenary group in the Commonwealth. Or at least it was. Now, after we deal with the Brotherhood of Steel's insurgents we'll be looking at this so-called Talon Company.", the General informed. "Aren't you glad that Reilly's Rangers are just an exploratory group? One that doesn't get into fights."

"Delighted.", the Lone Wanderer let drop.

"Anyway.", the General went on. "No one has to starve. If an ex-Brotherhood member can show that they'll reform, we'll cope with it.

"I'm certain you have some way of having that message spread."


	104. Chess on the Map - 6

Author's Notes:Firstly, this chapter was supposed to be published as #104. Oops.

Secondly, Rcollpc. Consensus, as far as I can determine, holds that in Fallout canon Lyons the younger was killed in whatever struggles the 'unification' between the Lyons loyal Brotherhood and the Outcasts had. Presumably, again-as far as I can tell from my looking into it, Lyons the elder died and the Outcasts fell into step under Maxson OR Maxson killed Lyons the elder with Outcast aid to assume command; despite whatever 'crush' he had on Lyons the younger from Fallout 3. I would appreciate a fan-fic of that time: Maxson's rise to command and balancing that with his feelings toward Lyons the younger, ending with him killing her personally or some other appropriately tragic ending.

Third, CeaserKrest. Please understand the populations we're dealing with. If the Pitt can output one or two metric tons of usable metal a week by scavenging the ruins around them then it would be a nigh miracle. In Fallout 3's DLC that introduces the Pitt, they border a river where Pittsburgh has three. Given that we 'know' that the bombs have changed the physical borders (Far Harbour in Fallout 4's DLC corresponding to the not-island Bar Harbour, Maine for example), I had the idea that the Minutemen's brown water navy could afford a boat or three (dependent on security issues) to make a once a week trip to the Pitt and exchange a literal boatload of food for a boatload of metal. That's the arrangement in the General's mind, even if she later intends to integrate it into the private sector economy.

1

Nadine told her, "I wasn't expecting you for a few more runs with the way you were talking."

The Lone Wanderer stopped to converse with her as the rest of Reilly's Rangers came on board the boat pretending to be from a bygone era. Although, nowadays in the post apocalypse, everything that still functioned was from a bygone era.

The Lone Wanderer replied. "I thought we had a shot here. But MacCready was right. The General doesn't just command her marines, she's got slews of different corps. Point Lookout is already over run."

"And nobody wants to lift a finger against this...what did you call her? 'Warlord'?", Nadine questioned.

The other woman shrugged. "The only people left to do anything is Ark & Cove Cathedral. And the tribals there are looking at her entrenchments like it's somehow a free meal."

"So how are you gonna put a stop to her?", the riverboat owner continued.

The Lone Wanderer sat down at that. "I don't know. The Brotherhood of Steel has fortresses all across the Capitol Wastes, so they could hold out forever if it wasn't for the food situation. Any defeat of a Commonwealth force could fix that in a hurry, so using those fortresses as fallback positions is really what's going to happen once this fight turns hot. Plus, while the General may have a lot of so-called corps, the Brotherhood of Steel furnishes nearly every soldier with power armor because of its source in the Pitt."

And then the woman realized. "Alright, Nadine. You have to step on it. I need to get the Rangers back to the Capitol Wastes as quick as you can."

"Why?"

"So I can warn the Pitt about the General.", the Lone Wanderer explained. "If the General's smart enough to try to corner the Brotherhood of Steel out of food, she's certainly smart enough to try to cut them off from weapon and armor production."

2

The look on the Lone Wanderer's face told Reilly everything she needed to know about their self-appointed mission to the Pitt. It leapt to her face as soon as the girl told her, "Wow, you're here again. Great timing - you have to come meet her."

Reilly's Rangers had kept a hard pace all the way to the Pitt. From Nadine's river boat drop off, directly to their own headquarters to resupply, straight over as open terrain as they could find to the tunnel system the Lone Wanderer assured them would get them there. They couldn't have traveled faster without vehicles than they had. But...vehicles, like what the Minutemen seem to have in plenty nowadays.

"Calm down, Marie.", the Lone Wanderer told her. "Not everything that looks good is true."

The girl didn't seem to want to calm down. Or change her opinion. That might have been a side effect of being called a savior, due to Beth's finally coming up with a vaccination against Troglitic Degeneration Contagion from Marie's own flesh. Even the Lone Wanderer had at times reflected on whether her actions had been out of unwarranted self-assurance with Three Dog praising her the entire time. But she could just switch her radio to Agatha's Station (or at least for a few more years). Marie had no such escape from a community that owed its existence to her.

"But the General seems to be.", the girl stated somewhat chastened. "She brought food by boat and landed in her very own bertivird."

"Vertibird.", the Lone Wanderer corrected.

"Vertibird.", the child said. "Oh, like verticle for straight up like into the sky and a bird!

"Anyway, you should come meet her. She's meeting with Midea and Wherner now."

"She's still here?", the woman questioned. At the child's nod, she turned back to Reilly. "We need to double time it."

3

After coming from the tunnel that popped into the...well, habitable was not the word to describe what was left of Pittsburgh. The most survivable part of the Pitt? Marie led Reilly's Rangers out of the train yard and across the bridge to the entrance of the Pitt's occupied areas.

At the gate, there was nearly a problem that turned into an issue. Minutemen troops were sharing Nuka-Cola with the Pitt guards. And it seemed that the Minutemen had started recognizing what Reilly's Rangers colors meant. But that did not mean that the Pitt guards reaction to Marie went unnoticed. The Minutemen chose to inform the rest of their party rather than object to admitting the Rangers.

"Where's the meeting?", the Lone Wanderer asked Marie.

"At Midea's room and mine.", she answered.

The Lone Wanderer took off at a run that no one matched.


	105. Chess on the Map - 7

Author's Notes: See previous chapter.

Midea and Wernher listened intently to what the General told them about the papers before them. "Now, there will be a more formal signing back at the Castle. That will be done with your representative, whoever your community chooses. But by signing these, you'll be a recognized Commonwealth community. We can start the trade routes up today and that will bring/"

The slamming open of the door to the room interrupted her. Huffing and puffing, the Lone Wanderer stood in silhouette in the door frame. "You evil bitch."

The General looked over at her. "I'm sure you'll be granted an audience once this important business is done. We have a Pitt to feed, after all."

Then she saw the expressions in the room. "What am I missing?"

"She's the one that helped free us from slavery.", Wernher stated.

The General tossed down her BALL POINT PEN. "Well, can't compete with that. I freed Nuka-World from slavery and know how those people treat me. Guess we're going to have to hash this all out again over another round of NUKA COLA."

"Don't agree to anything she says.", the Lone Wanderer restated.

Midea stood and put a hand on her arm. "Why? She's promising to supply us with food and clean water."

"Clean water technology.", the General interjected. "We want our communities to be as self-sufficient as possible. We'll supply PURIFIED WATER only as a back up to you producing your own from the local river. Otherwise, you'd be to dependent. And I for one do not want that much power over...well, anyone."

"Tell that to Rivet City!"

"And their new water purifier? Unharmed civilian populace? Food production facilities?"

"You are occupying it!", the Lone Wanderer intoned.

The General objected. "And not razing it."

Wherner interrupted. "General. Can I ask you for a moment alone with her?"

"Because if any of what she's accusing me of is truly bad, you have to take that into account. And we'll get no where if she and I are just having a yelling match. I get it.", the General understood. The woman turned to the Lone Wanderer. "Show her the papers we've been going over. If she has anything that is actually productive to add, we can talk about it afterwards. Even with her."

The General brushed pass the Lone Wanderer on her way out of the room. The Lone Wanderer slammed the door shut behind her.

Midea asked, "So who exactly is she, if she isn't the General of the Commonwealth's Minutemen?"

The question put the other woman on her back foot. "As far as I know, that's exactly who she is."

Wherner explained. "Look, here's what she's been telling us. There are habitable areas to the east: like what was known as the Commonwealth, Nuka-World, Far Harbor, the Capitol Wastes and Point Lookout. Most of them are united under the Commonwealth and that's run by a civilian government made up of representatives from all the cities in those places.

"Except for the Capitol Wastes. Because the Capitol Wastes are run by the Brotherhood of Steel. According to the General, the Brotherhood tried to invade the Commonwealth a bunch of times and when they were pushed back, the Brotherhood nuked the Commonwealth just the same as was done in the Great War. After another defeat, the Brotherhood told the Commonwealth that they had surrendered but are going back on that."

"The Brotherhood never nuked the Commonwealth.", the Lone Wanderer offered.

"How did you find that out?", Midea asked. She picked up a few papers from the table that the General was showing her. "Apparently, a reporter in the Commonwealth did a very thorough investigation that shows the Brotherhood did."

"You can't trust some papers that the very person saying it shows you.", the Lone Wanderer objected. "I talked to the commanders of the Brotherhood myself."

"So the people who shouldn't have done this told you they didn't do this?", Wherner stated. "Maybe that's the ex-slave in me, but you do hear how that sounds?"

"Look, she's a warlord.", the Lone Wanderer stated.

"And you've been to where she's unleashed her army?", Midea asked. "How bad is it?"

The Lone Wanderer wanted to launch into a tirade. But Midea and Wherner...Marie deserved to know what she saw. "She tried to blaze her way into the Capitol Wastes. She's moved troops and supplies into Rivet City. The same with Point Lookout. Her marines move in and start installing defenses."

"And robbing the people.", Wherner assessed.

The Lone Wanderer bit her lip. "No."

"No?", Midea asked.

"No, alright?" The Lone Wanderer sat down. "She's obviously pressing to take the Capitol Wastes. So she's been moving food and water technology into the places that she's taken."

"With how scarce food is, how is she not welcomed?", Midea asked.

"She is...or at least was. In Point Lookout. They acted like it was the second coming of Abraham Lincoln.

"But in Rivet City, she's locked the whole city down. I don't know of anyone besides myself that has been allowed in or out. And I don't think she lets their local council meet without one of her colonels present, to try to convince them to come over to the Commonwealth side from the Brotherhood."

Wherner furrowed his brow. "So why is she acting like the Brotherhood invaded the Commonwealth if they never had?"

The woman folded her arms. "The Brotherhood of Steel has sent missions to the Commonwealth."

"But you said"

"I said they never nuked anyone. They wouldn't do that.", the Lone Wanderer.

Wherner lowered his voice. "You know what we did to be free. And the work we put in here. If someone came to take from us...would we act so different than how the General's acting?"

The Lone Wanderer glared at him.

"Let's look at this a different way.", Midea suggested. "She says that she can bring food that we desperately need. Can she?"

The other woman nodded. "That's how she got to Point Lookout."

"And water?"

"That too."

"We need that.", Midea told her. "There hasn't been any food made in the Pitt since...well, since anyone can remember. The only thing we have is salvaging the metal from the surrounding city, and that goes on for miles. Dirt's too polluted to farm outside of that either. Scavenging comes back empty nowadays. If we can't keep a food supply...we'll die. All of us."

Wherner raised his voice. "Can the Brotherhood of Steel provide food? Maybe they're different than the ones that came and tore up the place all those years ago, taking the healthy children away from their parents and trying to kill everyone that was left but shooting only slaves. And you can't be talking about the ones that keep coming up for reasons in their own head why we somehow owe them metal."

The Lone Wanderer was silent on that.

Midea spoke. "Let's...let's bring the General back in. Maybe she can explain things?"

Wherner nodded. When he opened the door, the General was leaning on the wall to the side working her PIP-BOY. "You'll have to forgive me if I thought that there wasn't any accusation of actual wrong doing that had any actual evidence against me.", she said.

Wherner frowned. "Come on in."

The General followed him back into the room where the Lone Wanderer continued to attempt to glare holes in her. The General nearly responded but then dismissed it with a wave of her hand. "So about joining the Commonwealth?"

"We've got a few more questions now.", Wherner stated.

Midea shrugged as if to apologize.

"Well, that's to be expected.", the General realized. "I thought I had explained everything about joining..."

"You did.", Midea stated. "But the Brotherhood..."

The General nodded. "I see."

Wherner pointed to one of the papers spread out on the table. "Does this first right apply to us?"

"What rights?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

Wherner handed her the copy of the Commonwealth Constitution there were using to discuss the one that they would sign.

"Right to Minutemen Protec...", the Lone Wanderer mumbled to herself.

"Of course it does.", the General answered. "There's two parts to understand to that, though.

"The first is that the Minutemen aren't some separate entity. We are all citizens of the Commonwealth, doing our part. When the constitution was drawn up, there was a real need to show that no one community was being put before any other. Or that any community could be left behind. As part of that equality, every community gains Minutemen protection. Period.

"That being said, secondly - we are just Commonwealth citizens. We recruit from all communities and settlements. The local populace usually knows the best about their homes, so it makes a Minuteman's job easier if the soldier comes from the community that is being protected. However, we also understand that people need equiping and training. Also, not every threat is as simple as another. We're currently still using apprenticing style training for new Minutemen. So what that means for you is that we'll be shipping in experienced Minutemen for external defense of the Pitt if you sign up. Any of your people who would like to volunteer would be serving in the central, secured areas of the Commonwealth for their training - unless they're at sea learning to become Navy. Once they're cleared by their units, they could request to transfer back here and switch out with Minutemen who would also like to serve closer to their homes."

"Volunteer? Request?", Midea asked. "But isn't defense such a vital part of life?"

The General smiled. "I'm...blessed to run an all volunteer outfit. Unlike other forces we've faced, we don't snatch children from their parents and raise them to become mindless drones. While I understand how the world turned to the ideology of 'If you work, you eat', I can't ask people 'If you don't die, you don't live'. The best servicepersons come from people who understand what they're getting into and why. And when that why is big in their heart, we can build great things. Like a Commonwealth."

"How did you join the Minutemen?", the Lone Wanderer interjected.

The General took a breath. "Well. My current Colonel of Personnel, Preston Garvey - you've met him recently?"

The Lone Wanderer nodded.

"He was protecting a group of refugees from a mercenary company from raiders. Um, they were refugees because a mercenary company pushed them out of their homes. When I met them, he was the lone rifle between the group and some raiders. Anyway, that's when I met them. He asked me to help. Yadda, yadda, yadda, I took down the raiders and survived an ambush by a deathclaw and was granted the rank of General of the Minutemen.", the General explained.

"Wait. How could he...?", Wherner asked.

The General smiled. "Well, the Minutemen were a much smaller force back then. It consisted of...Preston, really. He told me that the leader of the Minutemen was traditionally referred to as General. So as we helped save and establish more settlements, the new volunteers stuck to calling me that. I introduced the formal ranks much later to solve two problems. The first being that our organization was too flat with nearly everyone answering directly to me. The second being that now we have much greater capabilities that require a wide range of skills and prowess that I'm glad I can trust in the hands of others.

"Plus, the Commonwealth's civilian government now has a position that's responsible to it and no longer just my personal cooperation. The only way to the future is going to be with the consent of the people. I had to turn being General into being a civil servant."

Midea spoke next. "Old war stories that worked out for the best are all well and good. But the important part to us - can you provide supplies for the Pitt?"

The General stated unequivocally, "Yes. The settlements we have across the Commonwealth all the way into Far Harbor are primarily farms. We have been running a surplus and continue to store it. Our policy is to continue that into the foreseeable future. In a way you'd be helping us by consuming that product, as it would give us another reason to keep cycling food into our stores to create further surpluses - in case of some unforeseen event. But as I previously stated, there is no such thing as a free lunch. The Commonwealth would benefit from your foundry production just as much as your people from not starving and thirsting to death."

"I doubt that.", Wherner assessed.

"How much of their steel would go to you?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"It wouldn't go to me, per se. It would go to the Commonwealth.", the General reminded.

"How much?", the other woman repeated.

"That would be determined by the Pitt.", the General stated. "It's just reasonable that only the surplus after their own needs were accounted for would be up for trade."

"So they could send a portion to you and a portion/"

The General cut her off. "The Commonwealth is only really trading with internally licensed people now. We are under threat by an enemy that has refused to recognize their own surrender after invading us three times. Allowing resources exchanged for a few bottle caps to be used to take everything, from lives to bottle caps isn't really a thing we can afford."

"So we couldn't hand over metal to the Brotherhood of Steel.", Midea determined.

"That makes sense.", Wherner agreed.

The Lone Wanderer exhaled. "But"

"But the Brotherhood was going to give food instead of take? And with any exchange whatsoever?", the General asked.

The Lone Wanderer was silent.

"And as a community, they can alter Brotherhood policy? Like introducing an anti-slavery right to the constitution?"

Midea and Wherner looked at each other. "We can do that?"

The Lone Wanderer asked. "Why haven't you yet?"

The two turned to the General. "One of our communities invented artificially intelligent machines that are beginning to pass as people. So they and a community of those machines are discussing what should be done about the subject."

Wherner waved his fists around each other. "Discussing?"

The General smiled. "No. Talking about it: between themselves, and debating at our capitol. One of the problems is that only some of the machines test as sentient. Our current compromise is that any machine that does so is considered a citizen, and any machine that is in Acadia (the community of machines) gets to stay in Acadia until they learn to do so.

"It would probably press the discourse forward to have an ex-slave community propose an anti-slavery right."

"I guess we'll do that then.", Midea stated.

"You guys are seriously signing up with her?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"You haven't been here.", Wherner told her. "We have new people, families are growing, there's nothing left to salvage. We were getting to the point where a lot of people would have sold their soul to feed their kids. But now, we're getting a fair deal. Maybe not the one we were expecting, or one that isn't rough around the edges. But fair - and that's more than most can ask for nowadays.

"Plus, this means safe travel outside the Pitt. People have spent their whole lives in these few city blocks. I know several are going to jump at the chance to join the Minutemen and see the world."

"I can't believe you people!", the Lone Wanderer screamed as she stormed out.


	106. The Storm - 1

Scribe Jameson, acting Sentinel Cross and Star Paladin Casadin sat in the still usable conference room of the Citadel.

"I don't like it.", Cross stated.

"You don't have to like it.", Casadin snapped. "We're running out of supplies. Your team's done nothing but run around on our caps, stalling."

"She's recovered Three Dog's transmitter.", Cross objected.

Casadin scoffed. "Troops don't march on propaganda alone."

"Three Dog isn't propaganda. He's a lifeline of information to the Capital Wastes.", Cross explained - again.

A hand slapped the table. "Enough.", Jameson demanded. "If we're going to do this, then let's find out exactly what we're doing.

"Bring in the prisoner."

Two power armor clad knights dragged in a woman. The woman must have been insane, smiling despite her rags and her dirt and chains. Once she was attached to a chair she looked the pseudo-council of the Brotherhood of Steel in the eyes. Insanity confirmed. Then she started laughing.

"This is your big play, Casadin?", Cross mocked. "The lunatic?"

Lizzie Wyath spoke for the first time is some time. "Don't mistake genius for lunacy."

"You're a psychopath.", Scribe Jameson reminded.

Lizzie shrugged her shoulders. "Cracking under the stresses of life then."

"Then explain the cackle.", Cross demanded.

Wyath smiled. "Because you're all fucked."

And at the expressions she got. "Oh, come on. You don't have to act all butt hurt about it as well."

Casadin snapped. "We're not/"

"Yes, you are!", Lizzie shot right back. "Remember what your _precious_ Head Scribe Elizabeth Jameson said to me when she commanded you to take me into custody?"

Elizabeth tried to speak calmly. "That's only because of what we caught you doing."

"Remember!", Wyath demanded.

The older woman let out a sigh. "That it would be the darkest day on earth that you would see anything but the gun of an executioner."

"And there's not one here to be found.", Lizzie pointed out. "So I'm thinking the day is pretty dark. And what could possibly darken your day?"

"You mean besides your human experiments? Your tricking our own men and women into choking on and melting under your concoctions? Addicting good people into slaves through your drugs?", Cross accused.

The ex-Operator chemist shrugged. "Besides that.

"I don't think it's a surge in super mutant tactics. Or even a new supply of feral ghouls. I didn't hear any additional gun fire when I was being dragged in here.

"No, there's only one thing I know of that can bring an organization filled with violent hypocrites to their knees. Particularly when they're accustomed to strutting their stuff like they're the only Deathclaw in town.

"Her."

Cross objected. "Look."

Lizzie scoffed. "Not your Wasteland Savior or whatever your radio man wants to call her this week.

"Her. The Overboss. The General. Our Favorite Vault Dweller. The bitch with a thousand titles. She's finally come here. I couldn't escape her. And now, neither can you. Let me guess: she hit your operation like a spear point, just deep enough to stop it dead in its tracks and see it from the inside out. Then when it looked like she was about to stop she was really squeezing the whole thing like an youi guai.

"Why else would you drag me out of that cell? Sit me down to (ha!) _conference_ with you. I'm what you've got from the Commonwealth that's your last best hope of stopping her and her thrice damned, ever growing legions. You've already used every other free-lancer you've got."

Jameson folded her hands. "We are prepared to allow you certain privileges, that can be revoked, in exchange for your services."

"And you can screw those privileges to the sticking place.", Wyath replied.

"Here is what is going to happen. Since you like your medieval styles so much, you're going to promote me to Proctor of Potions. You're going to assign enough knights, squires and scribes to keep me and a vertibird happy to my direct command. You're going to allocate a secure, well ventilated, space filled with workbenches and any supplies my team may abscond with. And never ask me again what I'm doing with all the soap.

"Oh. And a young, innocent page. So I can corrupt her with my mad scientist ways."

Cross glared at her. "You poison."

The woman's chains shook as she banged her fists on the table in front of her. "You're right, I'm the poison. I'm fire-breath of this dragon. And now the knight errant is at the entrance to your cave, ready to free the princess you were going to have for dinner and take all your gold after ripping out your heart for her own immortality. Now are you going to light her up? Or are you going to fade into myth?

"You have two takes to choose from. Either take up the quill, dip it in blood and sign on the dotted line. Or take me back to my cell and wait until you're even more desperate but know that it's way too late."

Cross' frown was probably permanent now. Casadin tried to hold his face together, but the other two saw the gleam in his eye. Jameson's face fell.

"Guards. Unchain Proctor Wyath and escort her to Edwards Air Force Base where she can designate a building to be her new laboratory."


	107. Infiltration - 1

"Howling at the moon in harm-harm-harmony, it's Three Dog.

"Now look, here. Me and our brothers in power armor don't disagree on much. But one thing that's always stood between us was the ghoulies. I've broadcast that if they haven't gone feral, there's no peril. The Brotherhood of Steel has treated them like ticking time bombs and even tried to 'disarm' them if you take my meaning.

"So no wonder word out of what's become of Tenpenny Tower is what it is. If reports are true, and rumors always have a bad way of becoming facts, the rough skins have found a Minuteman flag and started flying it over one of the tallest buildings left standing in the Capital Wastes. No telling if they've actually made contact with the so-called Minutemen of the General or not.

"But the confirmed phalanx is exactly that, kiddies. Confirmed. A spike from the Republic of Rosie down through Canterbury Commons and possibly the mysterious Underworld has been stabbed into the Capital Wastes by the Minutemen. With the Minutemen having none of the aversion to ghouls as the Brotherhood of Steel, some of this is self-fulfilling prophecy. But that Canterbury Commons is fallen as well? You thought the loss of Aqua Fortis from Rivet City Security set you back? Wait until the traders pull out a Commonwealth license request on you.

Will our brothers and sisters in shining steel be able to hold the tide? They always have before - and that was against the Enclave, not some upstart local warlord. So ghoul cities and Nuka-Cola costing twice what it's supposed to, ol' Three Dog's keeping the faith."

The Lone Wanderer changed the channel on her PIP-BOY's radio.

"Where to now, boss?", Butch asked Reilly.

Reilly nodded to the Lone Wanderer. "We're still on the Brotherhood of Steel's dime until we report back."

Reilly's Rangers had made their way back to the Capital Wastes by the tunnels leading to the Pitt. The Lone Wanderer was confident that the General's use of vertibirds if not just boats got her back faster. Reporting back to the Brotherhood may be a gesture of futility: reporting information that's days old and already known.

"Canterbury Commons.", she announced. "The General's doing her level best to try to cut off the Capital Wastes, in order to make everyone dependent on her. If the same licenses we saw in Point Lookout are popping up where the trader settlement is, then that makes it our next objective. And if I have any pull, anywhere, it's going to be in the town where I stopped the Ant-agonizer from battling the Mechanist in the middle of the street."

"And do what there?", Fawkes asked. Everyone turned to the supermutant. He adjusted his glasses and began anew. "Every where we have gotten by walking the wastes has had the General beat us there. She's then bribed or forced her empire upon the locals. So let's say we get to Canterbury Commons. Everyone loves you as much as you say. Machiavelli pointed out that it was better to be feared that respected: how are any back favors owed to you going to trump control of their supply, control of their customers, and military oversight? By adding in the promise of immediate war when the Brotherhood of Steel reclaims the territory?"

"What do you want me to do, Fawkes?", the Lone Wanderer countered. "Just give up? Our home. Our world. Turn the entire Capital Wastes in a never ending series of regime changes while we all pretend that the Enclave and the Brotherhood and the Minutemen and whoever's next are the same? And that popular wisdom becomes that the next big war isn't a catastrophe, it's just the weather in these parts."

Even Charon twitched when the green giant moved on her. "No. I want you to _think._ Every step of the way you've been just expecting things to work out. You want to go to Canterbury Commons? You're representing the client. We go to Canterbury Commons. You expect the person in charge not to be working for the General by the time we get there? You bet you can just demand the locals to accept the Brotherhood of Steel as their saviors?"

The Lone Wanderer glared back at him...until she lowered her head.

"Well...", Fawkes began. "It's this way."

Reilly's Rangers slowly set off in the way he led. The Lone Wanderer was the slowest of all.


	108. Infiltration - 2

The Lone Wanderer led Reilly's Rangers into the town of Cantebury. Or at least the front gates of it. Since the Minutemen had moved in, obvious from their lightning and musket flags as well as the recruitment poster with Garvey's image emblazened, a fence surrounding the trading post and automated turrets had been put in place. There was a Minuteman at the gate with a sign behind him. "All persons are subject to search and identification." He took one look at the colors of the Rangers and waved them through from his security post.

Trader caravans prepped to make their travels. They were laden down with more goods than they usually had: apparently having access to goods from Point Lookout to Far Harbor helped on the supply side. And since their were people the Lone Wanderer did not recognize with brahmin carrying trunks, she supposed that the added competition of Commonwealth traders might drive prices down even further. If you were lucky enough to be able to trade with them, as it seemed every brahmin had the same leather pouch marked "ID"...presumably where caravans were carrying their much touted Commonwealth licenses.

While the Rangers took in the changes to the town, Fawkes eyed the Lone Wanderer suspiciously. She returned the glare. "You know, I'm thirsty from our traveling. Let's go hit up Porter's."

"In a minute.", Dominic D'Ellsrado interrupted. "What's your business in town?"

"Really Dominic?", the Lone Wanderer replied.

"Yeah, really?", Machete from behind him as well.

Dominic shrugged. "What, just because I'm getting old and these Minutemen are around I'm not supposed to do my job? How many times did that General warn us that Minutemen protection is only for the other side of the fence.

"Now I'm sure the Wasteland Savior is here for good reason. But as I've tried to teach you..."

"Every rule for every body.", Machete finished.

"Just...visiting, Dominic.", the Lone Wanderer offered. "Right now, we're just going to grab some grub. Might talk to some people I haven't seen in a while later on. Once I get the lay of your Minutemen presence."

"Cool.", Machete agreed. "Just keep any Brotherhood of Steel stuff out of it and it'll stay cool. Only thing that makes these Minutemen jumpy."

"Hm.", the Lone Wanderer conceded.

The now despondent woman led her un-merry band over to the still standing Dot's Diner. Joe Porter looked up and saw that business had picked up even more than he expected. He was accustomed to a trader and her caravan hand, maybe a weary wastelander. But nowadays he was nearly always feeding someone. Still, this was the first time a group as large as Reilly's Rangers came through all at once.

The explorer team took up the seats in the diner that were unoccupied. The Lone Wanderer sat at the bar. Before Joe Porter could get to her, someone else at the bar was staring at her.

"Anything that I can help you with, old man?", she asked.

"Maybe.", he replied. "And that's Old Man Stockton to most. Just trying to place your face."

Reilly called out. "See, there's a silver lining: people who don't recognize you."

The Lone Wanderer rolled her eyes.

"That's it.", Old Man Stockton realized. He moved closer and lowered his voice. "You're the one that helped out a certain... _train way_...with hiding a... _mechanical man_...that I got a report of. I haven't actually seen you. Just heard tell that you're one of the good ones."

The man laid down his copy of Publick Occurences and judged the Lone Wanderer's expression. When she frowned at the glowing praise that this so-called 'Piper Wright' was laying at the General's feet for taking over more and more of the Capital Wastes through bribery and intimidation, Stockton smiled.

"We need to talk.", he whispered. Louder he exclaimed, "Sorry, your face isn't coming to me. Maybe one day stranger." The man laid a few caps on the counter and walked out of the diner.

The Lone Wanderer stared straight ahead while waiting for Joe Porter to get to her.


	109. Infiltration - 3

Old Man Stockton held a sharpened pencil but his hand hesitated before laying down a mark. It's not like they were making any more of them yet. And with all the new trade he wanted to account for, given that Cantebury Commons was nearly the equal trade center of his native Bunker Hill, there was much for which to account.

And that is when the blade appeared under his chin with its coursing electricity raising goosebumps. He had never seen her enter the room, or even approach. "You wanted to talk, Stockton. I'm listening. And one of the things I'm listening for is why I shouldn't take the head of the trade advisor to the General."

Stockton was old. And rich. But he was still an operative. He swallowed and then spoke calmly. "Well, if you were a good person then I would tell you that your real quarrel isn't with me - my trading is all private and not any part of the government dealings that the General does. If you were an evil person then I'd explain that I can do more for you alive than dead. If you were a practical person, you'd at least want to know the reason that I wanted to speak with you...privately - despite our relative abilities."

JINGWEI'S SHOCKSWORD powered down. The Lone Wanderer slowly came into focus as her CHINESE STEALTH SUIT powered down as well. She removed her mask. "If your trading is private, then why does everyone tell me that you're the one to see about a trading license?"

Old Man Stockton looked into her eyes. "Because truth is not all the truth there is to be had. And I learned long ago in the Railroad that there is always more truth.

"You know by now that the General runs a representative government, with delegates from each of the major communities she rules."

"Major?", the Lone Wanderer pointed out.

"Exactly.", the man smiled, hoping he had finally found someone who could understand. "As she has expanded her territory, she deems whether the people living in it make up a settlement or a community. Then the communities are instructed to send representatives to any given meeting the Castle calls."

"The Castle?"

"Minutemen headquarters, back in the Commonwealth. This way she can show everyone that whatever she wanted to do in the first place is on behalf of the people. Even including the Institute instead of defeating them."

"Tell me about the Institute."

"The Institute...they're a hidden bunch of technowizards. They started making robots that they call 'synths' a long time ago but now have gotten them to the point where they're just as much people as anyone else. We...I remember that you helped us save one of them when his cover was about to be blown in Rivet City, a decade ago.

"And while Bullseye...the General, I mean, was glad to work with us in taking down this organization that was making slaves and help us with smuggling synths away from the Institute, some thing changed. She was working with us because we were working against the Institute. You see, while she was frozen, the Institute took her son and killed her husband. She wanted the Institute destroyed more than anyone. She even told us that she originally helped reform the Minutemen in order to have an army to ram down the Institute's throat."

The Lone Wanderer started putting together pieces. "So what you're telling me is this. Once upon a time, the General was the Sole Survivor from before the Great War. In the meantime, the Institute started being able to make robots indistinguishable from people. And they harmed her as much as they could. She was gung-ho about wiping them off the map. And then when she took over everything, she all of a sudden included the Institute in her government.

"Hm...what has the Railroad done in response?"

Stockton pointed at her. "That's exactly it. She attacked the Railroad command just before she sunk the Prydwyn. The Railroad survived by the skin of its teeth. But now, she's somehow convinced the Railroad to serve as her intelligence corps. Even I as a member can be punished under Minutemen orders simply for telling you that I'm Railroad."

"So if you think she's been replaced, the Railroad wouldn't do anything?", the woman bet.

"No, it's something more than that.", Stockton surmised. "I don't think she was simply replaced by a synth of herself. She's held so-called Turing tests to certify that the overwhelming amount of indistinguishable from human synths aren't sentient. And with some of the things she's pulled, I think she's prepared to take those tests and anything we could come up with herself. And if the Institute did something to her that affected her mind that much, she wouldn't be valuable to keep in place either. So the Institute has something on her - something that outweighs what they did to her family.

"And it's going to take someone independent to find out what that is."

The Lone Wanderer nodded. "And if this independent person found out what it was, they could use it to bring down the General. And that would destroy her Minutemen."

"No, it wouldn't.", Stockton disagreed. "They're too organized, too...back now."

She folded her arms. "Then what good does it do us down here?"

Stockton pointed out the window to one of the Minutemen's recruitment posters. "Preston Garvey.

"He'd be the next general. And Preston Garvey's a good man. He's never sought a war with another faction. He's only tried to protect local farms."

"Isn't he also the one that recruited the Lone Survivor into become the General?"

"Only because he was the last man standing. After protecting civilian refugees from Quincy to Sanctuary Hills.", Stockton answered. "I promise you: with Garvey as general, the Minutemen will stop caring about which communities are under their thumb."

"But he's more than loyal.", the Lone Wanderer replied. "I've seen how he looks at her."

"Well, I've been involved with espionage for a long time.", the man replied. "I know for a fact that when she was still calling herself Overboss, her and Preston nearly mixed it up on the battlefield. Preston is more loyal to the people and the idea of helping the people than he is to anyone, including himself let alone her."

The Lone Wanderer thought for a moment.

"So you want me to take Reilly's Rangers and find out what the Institute has on the General. Exposing this will remove the General from her office, replacing her with someone who will keep the Minutemen from being the Brotherhood of Steel's problem."

"That's right.", Stockton acknowledged.

"And you want this because you hold an ideal that synths should be free and the Institute is the group keeping that from happening."

"Yes."

The Lone Wanderer started questioning. "How do you expect me to convince Reilly's Rangers to work on this?"

"I have been trading very well for a very long time. I'm certain that whatever your rates are, they're going to be found *ahem* 'reasonable'.", Stockton replied.

"If you're found out, you're going to be implicated as a traitor. Working directly with people who are hired by the Brotherhood of Steel."

The elder rolled his eyes. "Are you asking for a discretion fee?"

She shifted from one foot to the other. "To keep that discretion, we're going to have to stay on the Brotherhood of Steel's payroll. They'll be a client as well."

"Times are tough all over."

"And just how are you going to have us get into the Commonwealth proper?", she asked.

Stockton reminded, "You do remember who hands out the licenses for traders in the Capital Wastes, right?"

The Lone Wanderer drummed her fingers. "Give me a few hours and stay here. I'll talk to Reilly."


	110. Infiltration - 4

"So that's what Old Man Stockton offers.", the Lone Wanderer finished her story...well outside of the town of Cantebury Commons.

Butcher pointed out, "Well, the obvious question is whether or not we can trust him."

And for the first time in a long time, the normally quiet Charon objected. "That is an irrelevant question.

"He is telling the truth. So we get licenses and do not believe him. While obtaining brahmin and trader garb, we check those licenses against others to ensure they are legitimate. We confirm the licenses, pack up our gear as 'trading goods', and use our disguises to infiltrate the Commonwealth. At any moment, we could be in a fire fight with the Minutemen or this Institute or every danger of the waste or any number of bounty hunters thinking that they are going to be lucky.

"Or he is lying. So we get licenses and do not believe him. While obtaining brahmin and trader garb...you see where I am going with this?

"If our actions do not change based on whether he is honest or scamming us, then it does not matter if we trust him."

Fawkes stroked his chin. "I disagree."

The ghoul looked to him. "How do our actions change?"

The super mutant shook his head. "Initially, not so much. With the possible exception that we kill Stockton. On one hand, we keep him from signalling that his scheme was successful so that the Minutemen do not know that we are on our way. On the other, we lose out on any pay he may have given us that wasn't up front _and_ his mere death may signal to the Minutemen that we are on our way and know their plan.

"But afterwards, if we trust him then we can trust the path to the Commonwealth he sends us on. We can trust his information about the locals. Setting up a base of operations in the Commonwealth, should we need to, becomes much easier.

"If we think he's lying, we'll have to surprise the Minutemen enough that they can't identify Reilly's Rangers as the caravan we will be pretending to be."

Reilly nodded. "But we probably should be doing that anyway. And while we can cover Charon up and then have someone use the same disguise themselves, I can't imagine that there are so many civilized super mutants that we won't instantly blow our cover taking you with us no matter how useful you'll be in the getting us there."

Fawkes touched his nose. "But someone will have to remain behind anyway. The Brotherhood of Steel is still our client. Someone needs to inform them of the work we've failed at and this new long term mission."

The Lone Wanderer put her hand to her face. "The Brotherhood still hasn't moved on their policy about ghouls enough to prevent Tenpenny Tower or Underworld. There's no way that Reilly's colors alone are going to let you get the direct contact you need with the Brotherhood."

"So we're down two men?", Butcher asked. "In the most hostile territory we've ever been in?"

Donavan added. "What about Stockton? If he finds out that we're leaving people behind to spread word about what he's doing, why won't he confess to the Minutemen in exchange for leniency? We'll be extra screwed if that happens because we won't even know when our cover is blown."

"So were' not down two men?", Butcher reassessed. "We're just screwing over the Brotherhood of Steel."

The Lone Wanderer pitched in. "We screw this up: Stockton's going to be put into that position anyway."

Butcher just sighed.

Reilly took control. "Charon's right. We're going to do it anyway. We can only mitigate the dangers.

"We take Stockton up on his offer: get the licenses, paid up front and then split.

"What we don't tell him is that we head back to headquarters. Considering how long we've been gone, we may have to retake it. But given that, we leave Fawkes holding down the fort. We pack up everything we can into our trade caravan disguise and even Stockton won't be able to describe us.

"Then we head to the Commonwealth. And if _any_ target looks juicy, we take it. These so called community representatives, Minutemen production, whatever. Anything that makes the General pull back forces to the Commonwealth and out of the Capital Wastes. We can cut and run back here any time if our cover holds. And if it doesn't, then finding out this mystery of why the General is working with some Institute isn't going to help us. And it's not like Stockton can out us without revealing he was the one that set us upon the Commonwealth in the first place."


	111. Infiltration - 5

The time they had lost was unfathomable. The time they had lost was surely unrecoverable. The time they had lost was also inevitable.

Putting up the caps for their disguise was trivial. They had Old Man Stockton's half-up-front. Mercenary work was lucrative if you survived it, and Reilly's Rangers had. Also, if she were honest with herself, the amount of caps the Lone Wanderer had squeezed out of the wasteland might be able to buy a vault if it wasn't too occupied.

The complete team except for Fawkes was now clad in ROAD LEATHER, ARMY FATIGUES, and other high durability clothing. They wore a patchwork of cobbled together METAL ARMOR and LEATHER ARMOR. Some, and always Charon, wore gas masks. They stored their actual gear and anything they might need on the back of their Brahmin in trunks to mimic trade goods. And acquiring all that in Canterbury Commons was nearly trivial considering it was a trading hub.

No, their time had been eaten up by the very reason a caravan could pull a profit. Moving between areas of post war habitable spaces was an absolute nightmare. Undrinkable water. Dangerous beasts. Unpassably radioactive stretches that still seemed to give off a molten glow. Places that were just missing. The environment wanted to hate them but seemed to chaotic and insane to figure out exactly how, so it tried everything. If the Lone Wander was not armed with a PIP-BOY, they were certain that they would never have arrived in the Commonwealth. If they were not armed as only they were, they certainly would never had made it in one piece.

But that time. They had no way of telling how many more communities had fallen to the General. They had no way of telling if there was even a peace left to save. Until they had arrived.

The Lone Wanderer had not received the message on her PIP-BOY for nearly a decade: notification of a new radio station. Just as the air seemed to allow them to live, she flipped to the station.

"Travis 'Lonely' Miles, broadcasting from beautiful Diamond City, the Great Green Jewel of the Commonwealth is at your service.

"First, let's take care of some of the kind folks that keep us on the air. For your medical needs and recreation pleasure: Chem-I-Care is open at...well, no set schedule. But knowing Solomon, I'd try late afternoon. Next up is the Science Center! New exhibits, courtesy of the Institute, are available to tantalize the mind and inspire dreams of the future. And outside of Diamond City, Nuka World is open for not just traders but visitors as well. Several entertainments from the pre-war era are now powered up and ready to be explored. See what entertained people in Our Favorite Vault Dweller's time first hand. I am told it is a complete hoot.

"And now, for a little something something to make you appreciate a stretch away from civilization."

Danny Kane and the Andrew Sisters tinned out of the Lone Wanderer's PIP-BOY.

"He's a far cry from Three-Dog.", Butcher commented.

Reilly scoffed. "If he's any less worshipful than this Piper Wright reporter, he'll be enough. You'd think Wright was sleeping with the General, the way she talks about her."

"That was so long ago.", the Lone Wanderer reminded. "Whatever he says will tell us if we're too late and if we can still save the world or are just avenging it at this point."

"Well, we might have survived our travel but we still haven't made it to...what did Old Man Stockton say was the closest? Quincy or University Point?", Brick ventured. "I mean, sure it's a surprise, but even I think we may need a place we can eat and not get eaten."

"Those were both beginning to be resettled.", Charon grizzled out. "The closest official settlement is Warwick Homestead. But if we want to avoid a Minuteman run settlement, then we're aiming at Atom Cats Garage."

Reilly asked. "How do you remember that off hand?"

"Because I was told." was the reply.

"I want to go to Diamond City or the Castle.", the Lone Wanderer said. "We didn't come here to try. We came here to do."

"And we did so under cover.", Reilly reminded. "If we're coming as newly licensed traders and show up smack dab in the middle of the Commonwealth with no one having seen us, that's going to be the slightest bit suspicious. Remember, Stockton said that the towns have two way radio up here."

The first woman frowned. "Fine. Then at least we should...hold on."

The group looked ahead. Barrelling down on them was their first test. An APC, which was sure to be just full of Minutemen, was coming straight at them.

"Remember, we're traders and we have a license."

The vehicle stopped in front of them. They could easily notice the two cannons that pointed out the front. After the hissing of a door being opened, a power armor was piloted directly in front of them. "You just come from outside the Commonwealth?", it asked.

"Yes, sir.", Reilly responded immediately.

The suit pointed directly at each of them. "Six waters.", it said.

"Well, that shake down started early.", the Lone Wanderer muttered.

Only a Minuteman came from behind the APC carrying six PURIFIED WATERs. "I hear the other caravans tell us it's a mess out there.", she said while handing them out.

The Rangers nodded their thanks and started drinking, except for the Lone Wanderer and Charon. "You're just handing out water?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"Well, this is our patch of road.", the power armor stated. "It's our job to make sure no one dies out here. And getting a little liquid into you guys will help you get where you're goin'.

"Hopefully up to Atom Cats Garage. They told us to keep a look out for traders. They keep claiming they haven't rebuilt their stockpile since the Gunner War. Can't really believe it considering how long ago that was. But it's not like they ever stop...how do they put it?"

"Fixing to flaunt.", the other Minuteman answered. "Look, it'll take an edge off of us if you can keep them quiet for a week.

"Why aren't you drinking, big man?"

Charon's GAS MASK looked from one Minuteman to the other.

"Don't act like ghouls don't get thirsty too.", the POWER ARMOR declared. It took off its helmet to reveal that it was piloted by a ghoul.

Slowly, hesitantly even, Charon removed his gas mask.

"Man, you're jumpy.", the rasping voice gritted out now that it wasn't being modulated by the suit. "You really are from the Commonwealth."

"What's that supposed to mean?", the Lone Wanderer asked.

"Well, ma'am.", the Minuteman started, a bit more formally than earlier. "I just heard that the Brotherhood of Steel acts like every ghoul is a time bomb waiting to go off. So most of the Capital Wastes are having a hard time coming out now that the General is bringing some real freedom to the places we've gotten to."

"Places you've gotten to?", Reilly inquired.

"Yeah.", he answered. "General calls it nation building. Only way to bring the Capital Wastes into the Commonwealth is for every town to see both sides clearly and then make the right call. We even have orders to make sure everyone understands that we are only going to start shooting to protect people after we're invited. I'm told that's leaving a lot of people out in the cold considering how the Brotherhood's blocked off the Spike Down."

"Spike Down?", Butcher asked.

"Spike down from the Republic of Rosie all the way down to Underworld. Brotherhood that forgot they surrendered is keeping us from linking up with Rivet City, but I've never seen the General choose wrong.", the ghoul explained.

"Sure she has, remember when the Gunners ran her ragged?", the Minuteman asked.

The POWER ARMOR became complete as he replaced his helmet. "La la la, I can't hear you in here."

"Get back in the APC.", she scolded. The massive metal suit turned around with a short salute and started back.

"Look, you keep heading up north this way and you'll get to Atom Cat's Garage, no problem. If you hug the coast, you'll meet up with Mr. and Mrs. Warwhik. I'm sure Quincy or University Point would be glad to see you, but they've just gotten set up and may not be the best spot for a caravan of your size." The Minuteman turned to return to her vehicle.

The Lone Wanderer looked confused. "You aren't going to check our license?"

"Who do I look like, Diamond City Security? Either you're traders or you spent a lot on those brahmin and trunks to tell a huge lie to good people. Catch ya'll on the way back down to the Capital Wastes if you're heading that way."


	112. Infiltration - 6

1

The journey through the Commonwealth to Diamond City was uneventful.

Or so the Lone Wanderer professed to Reilly's Rangers.

The Rangers had come to the opinion that it was informative. Even worldview changing. Quincy and University Point seemed to hold just as much Minuteman attention as the places being taken in the Capital Wastes and beyond. And while residents swore upon their frontier spirit, they did so in a much more constructive manner. One that told of building a new thing rather than surviving an untamed wild thing.

Everyone checked their licenses though. The General had decreed that it was a defense against the Brotherhood of Steel. And so every single member of the population had immediately accepted it as fact. The cult of personality the General had managed to craft was what the Lone Wanderer talked about. That there couldn't be a reason for the concrete loyalty the population held. Everyone claimed that they had actually interacted with her in some way and it changed their life. Reilly asked the Lone Wanderer how she was received by people all over the Capital Wastes. Her only replies were that she did not understand the question or why it was asked.

But they had made it to Diamond City: the shining emerald of the Commonwealth protected by her Great Green Wall. But also the center of commerce: from its extraordinarily high population and their needs, to the concentration of talent making services available here as no where else. And while Reilly's Rangers sought information, two of the denizens within had made information their greatest specialty.

2

The dame walked in from the hall that led from his door. The type of dame that made trouble her business. Sure, she was trying to paint over that with some trader disguise like some of the women in a looser business painted over the wasteland on their faces. But where a trader had muscles only in their legs, she had all over. Where a trader had approachability worn into their face, the shape of hers screamed that she did the approaching. And this old synth's eyes could tell that even the disguise she wore wasn't fit to her like whatever tight thing she wore under it. Yet, despite the double layer her footsteps were habitually silent - even though she was announcing herself.

"Excuse me.", she proclaimed. Like it was fact more than a request or even a demand. She even spoke in some just off accent. Probably born a vault dweller who's dialect drifted apart from the surface' over the past two hundred years. But not Vault 88's or even 111's even though he had only met one person from 111. But her tone told him that she was accustomed to people listening to her. And a road that far should have taken that type of command out of her unless she had built it back up on the outside. Was she from Far Harbor or the Capital Wastes? She certainly had that sterner stuff that islanders' were said to be made out of. On the other hand, only vault he heard of from Far Harbor was the newly discovered one under the hotel that only had robots. If her were a betting man, he would suppose she was a tough enough cookie to get through Brotherhood terrirtory to the Spike Down - but he was a detective, not a gambler. And detectives dealt in facts.

Wonder how many more she would give him before he had to start prying them out of her. From the way her eyes darted across the office instead of holding a questioning gaze on him, he could tell she was up for some lie. Everyone that met a synth that couldn't pass for human acting like one at least gave him the once over, giving their brain time to confirm the decision to treat him like one. But her eyes darted over her environment, trying to pick up on anything that would sell what she was about to tell him better. Islanders rarely lied, at least to main landers, relying on their confidence in their superior toughness to do the talking for them. Odds on the Capital Wastes were getting better.

But what did she have to lie about? And to a detective in his office? It couldn't have been to get to him, he was right their behind his office manager. But then again, from the way she stood with that one foot slightly behind the other and that trouble handling body she was obviously a melee fighter not a gunslinger. Did she think she needed to get past Ellie? Ellie could look like a harder nose than she really was from dealing with the criminals that came to the office trying to intimidate him off a case. Best to move her out of the line of fire between his pistol and Mrs. Hard Ass from the Capital Wastes.

Wait - he had no business from the Capital Wastes yet. Their was no reason for her to come here to scare him off of something or put and end to his looking into anything. (Like he was looking into anything. Business had been so slow since the General and the Silver Shroud put the raiders on two separate notices.) And if she was hired to scare him off...well, hiring someone from the Capital Wastes would make sure he didn't have a bell around the cat's neck but also would put him on extra guard against an unknown and would be so expensive that anyone who could hire her would know better. And being from the Capital Wastes, she wasn't going to be connected to one of his cold cases. After all, missing children taken back during the bad old days and survived might grow up into the hardass he had on his hands but didn't have vault accents from the Capital Wastes.

That made her a client. And if she was a client, and she had come up from the Capital Wastes, either it was for his skills or his location. Brotherhood stuck their nose in everything they could - he couldn't imagine that you couldn't find a professional busybody down in the Capital Wastes with the likes of Talon Company and the boys in power armor drenching the place in people lacking in social skills. She had to want something only found in the Commonwealth. Something that the Minutemen couldn't...or wouldn't provide.

What would that be? Their job was to take a damsel's in distress word like orders, and for all her ability to cut a man she wasn't bad on the eyes. She must want something on one of them. Who? Any corruption he would have heard about by now with Pepper and even himself being so close to the top woman. Any unit that did something unsavory would have been sold out to by another unit. Unless the one she wanted info on outranked anyone she could approach. Brandis? No, she traveled from the Capital Wastes so if she made it from a road unit to a town she could just duck into Home Base where the Minutemen don't answer to Motorpool. The only person Home Base and Motorpool answered to was the General herself.

A tough broad accustomed to people taking her orders from a vault in the Capital Wastes wanted information on the General. Was she a Brotherhood agent - no they, didn't have a subtle bone in their body, the training to run a power armor on a super mutant would have tempered that bone into something more blatant. Was she an outsourced mercenary? That could be, but that would also mean that the Brotherhood was becoming desperate enough to fund others with their own caps. Who knows what the hell a military order would be desperate enough to do before admitting that someone else was more qualified. Did she come to take advantage of the knowledge he had of the General or assume he was such a great ally as to risk assassinating him.

He couldn't take the chance on thinking any longer. He had to get Ellie out of his line of fire before this dame could cut through her to get to him. He had to keep her from acting. But without a fight.

3

The Lone Wanderer walked into Valentine's Detective Agency and said, "Excuse me."

Nick Valentine called out, "I'll take it Ellie. This problem solver from a vault in the Capital Wastes wants private information on the General, or at least that's what she's being paid by the Brotherhood of Steel to disguise herself as a trader to get. As long as she keeps her blade to herself, we can talk."

"How did...you...?", the Lone Wanderer started. "Were you tipped off?"

Nick covered any tell of his surprise with the prepared response of "And here I thought I was a detective that was pretty good at my job."

2

That next clue had dropped. This woman thought she might have been sold out. So she knew someone else that she didn't fully trust knew what she was up to. But her phrasing - 'tipped', not 'squealed to' or 'sold out'. She thought he could already be in on it. Who could have just 'tipped' him off on something like this? Well, no friend of the General if she was hired by the Brotherhood of Steel to...


End file.
